It Just Wasn't Meant To Happen
by The Other
Summary: Kurt didn't think it was possible. He didn't want it to be possible. But it was possible, and it was happening, and now he and Blaine had to deal with it. MPREG. Light Smut.
1. It Just Wasn't Meant To Happen

**_A/N: Alternate universe guys, hey guess what? Kurt's pregnant kthxbai_**

**_~~ Okay, so I'm going to keep the old A/N's, because well, memories. Anything new will be chucked in ~~~ things. I also wanted to say: For those of you reading this and going 'Wow, this sounds familiar, it's because it is. I've uploaded this before - in my stories. ___****Click my username - go into 'A Collection of Klaine', go to Chapter 151. See. My story. I'm just transferring it to an actual story, instead of inside A Collection of Klaine. It's also on Scarves and Coffee under 'JeffnaBoots'. Once I've finished uploading it here, I'll take it off of 'A Collection of Klaine' - so if you're reading this and it's already been labelled 'Complete', you're not going to find it on A Collection of Klaine. Thank you guys for being concerned that someone was taking it, but it's all good.** I've also posted this note in chapter 10, for those who are already reading. ~~

* * *

The moment Kurt heard the news, he was stunned into oblivion. _What?_ It was impossible – wasn't it?

"It's not generally talked about – about one in every fifty men have the same gene passed through them, it's just never come to realisation because only about half are homosexual. Just because they have the gene, doesn't mean they're homosexually inclined. So we tend to keep it a secret."

Kurt just sat there, unblinking, unfocused. Never in a million years did he think that he'd ever…_ever_…have this happen to him. He didn't even think it _could _happen to him. Not even in his dreams.

It was…impossible.

Apparently not.

"Kurt?"

Kurt sucked in a breath and nodded. "Sorry…what?"

The doctor raised an eyebrow, getting up and pouring a glass of water, handing it to Kurt.

"Do you want to talk?"

Kurt nodded, but he didn't say anything.

"Is your…boyfriend, around? Do you want to talk to him? Maybe bring him here and we can explain the situation to him?"

But Kurt couldn't move.

There was _something _inside him. Growing, attaching and _feeding_ off of him. Ruining him.

"Kurt!"

He finally snapped out of it, and his eyes focused on the doctor.

"W-when?"

The doctor sighed. "Well, male and female gestation generally lasts around ten months, but we'll take it out at eight and a half months, to avoid complications. So in six months, you'll have a baby."

"I'm…two and a half? Already?" Kurt choked out. "How come I didn't notice?" he asked, more to himself than the doctor.

The doctor sighed.

"For some… reason, males tend not to get any symptoms – except for the unexplainable vomiting and nausea - until they're almost out of the first trimester."

Kurt shook his head mutely. He was still in shock, still couldn't understand – didn't _want_ to understand what was happening.

The doctor was still talking.

"..but it tends to be a good thing for most gay couples – allowing them children without having to use a surrogate, or go through the adoption process."

Kurt just nodded.

"I want you to come back in two weeks – we'll need to do another blood test, and you'll get your first ultrasound. Try to make sure your partner can accompany you."

Kurt nodded again – his mind racing. He was still a little freaked out by what was going on..

"Okay, that's it…you're not going home alone."

Kurt raised an eyebrow.

"You're in shock, obviously, and I don't think you should be driving. Can you call someone?"

Kurt swallowed hard. "Carole. My step-mom."

^.^

Kurt paced around the living room, sweating and freaking out. Carole watched him mutely, waiting for whatever he was about to say.

"Carole? What if I told you something that I never thought possible was wrong with me?"

"Oh god Kurt…what's wrong?" she sat up, her eyes wide.

"I just…" he sat down, before standing up and pacing.

"Is it…is it cancer, Kurt?" she asked softly, and he shook his head.

"Not cancer." He said softly. "Have you…have you ever heard of a…" he swallowed hard. "Male…pregnancy gene?"

Carole's eyes widened in realisation, nodding faintly."Kurt… Are you..._pregnant_?"

Kurt sank back down on the end of the couch, twisting his hands in his lap.

"…Yes?"

"I'm going to be a _grandmother_?" Carole shook her head. Kurt didn't seem to be in the 'gushing' mood. "Wait, are _you_ okay? Have you told Blaine yet?"

"Don't tell Blaine. _Please._ He _can't_ know."

"Kurt, hon, he's going to find out eventually."

Kurt shook his head decidedly.

"He doesn't have to..."

"Kurt…"

"Carole! I'm male! And I'm _fucking pregnant_!"

In the stunned silence that followed, Blaine's bag dropped to the floor.

"_What?"_

"Oh good, you're home." Carole smiled at Blaine. "I'll just be getting home then." She told them both, patting Blaine's shoulder as she passed, the front door slamming behind her.

Kurt and Blaine stared at each other across the lounge room.

Blaine was the first to break the silence, sighing as he ran his hand through his hair.

"Kurt, what's going on?"

"What's going on? What's going on is you got me _fucking pregnant _you dickhead!"

Blaine laughed awkwardly.

"What? That's a joke right?" he asked. Kurt death glared him.

"Do I _look_ like I'm fucking joking?"

"…You can't be serious…?"

Kurt sighed, turning his face away.

"You're actually _pregnant_? We're having a _baby?_"

"Oh, _well done_ Blaine." He said sarcastically.

"How is that even _possible_?"

Kurt ran a hand through his already-tousled hair, letting out a exasperated sigh.

"The doctor said…that in some cases…males can have uterus'...It's...it's just something that happens..."

Blaine frowned. "But how does the…_stuff_ get to the…"

Kurt sighed. "Through the…colon." He blushed. "Everything we've ever known about anatomy got chucked out the window."

Blaine let out a suppressed breath. "You're pregnant."

"_Yes_ Blaine. And it's all your fault."

"My _fault?_ How is this my _fault?_"

"How the _fuck _do you _think_ I got pregnant?"

"Kurt… This is a _good_ thing…"

Kurt's jaw almost hit the floor, gaping at his boyfriend.

"_Blaine!_ I am nineteen fucking years old. I am male and I am _not _fucking ready for _anything_ like this. How the fuck does your brain make this okay?"

Blaine frowned. "Kurt… Calm down. This isn't as big as a disaster as you seem to think it is. I mean, didn't you _want_ kids one day?"

"Yes, one day! One fucking day! Not fucking _to_day. Not this year. Not-"

"Kurt…" Blaine said, stepping closer. "This _isn't_ a disaster. _He _isn't a disaster."

Kurt's mouth dropped open again. "He? Blaine – priorities!"

"Priorities? Why the _fuck_ isn't _he_ your priority?"

Kurt gaped at his boyfriend.

"Blaine! I'm _nineteen._ _We're_ nineteen! In _what_ world is two _guys_ having a _baby_ at _nineteen_ a _priority_?"

"I didn't say _getting pregnant_ was a priority, just that now that you are, _he _should be our proirity."

"_No_ Blaine. I don't want _it._ I don't want this.. this _thing_ leeching off-"

Blaine wrapped him in a hug, holding Kurt tight against his body.

"Kurt… It'll be okay." He murmered soothingly. Kurt shook his head against Blaine's shoulder, trying to hold back his tears.

"It's not. It's not. It's not." Kurt whispered, burying his face further into Blaine's chest.

"Yeah…it is." Blaine smiled in his hair, closing his eyes. "We're going to have a gorgeous baby boy, and we're going to be…amazing parents…and-"

"Blaine… I don't _want _to be pregnant. I'm _not _ready for this. For _him_."

"But we will be. We have time."

"Six months. We have six months." Kurt whispered, his voice started to get choked up.

Blaine rocked him gently, stroking his hair.

"In six months, we'll have a beautiful baby boy."

* * *

**_A/N: So we just wanted to try it out. We got the prompt from some anonymous reviewer and I kinda ran up the stairs and we started screaming. And not in a good way. But then once we realised we could do this and sort out a way it could actually happen, we started to have fun. So this will be a mini-series over the Collection - whenever we finish one we'll add it, until Kurt 'gives birth' and they have their baby. :D_**

**_~~ Wasn't as hard to grab all these chapters as I thought it would be. I'll upload them all and then delete them from the Collection. ~~_**


	2. It Just Wasn't Meant To Be

**_A/N: Sequel to the first mpreg, set a week or two later. There's two, maybe three chapters left to go, we'll upload as we finish them ^^_**

**_~~Haha. Two or three chapters to go. What a joke.~~_**

**_Jen Jen says to tell you all that she still loves you ^^_**

**_Thanks for all the pretty reviews!_**

* * *

"I still can't quite believe it." Blaine whispered into the quiet of the waiting room. He moved his free hand to brush against the faint swell of Kurt's stomach.

Kurt slapped his hand away, glaring at him.

"Don't. Not here."

Kurt still hadn't come to terms with his pregnancy, preferring to deny it until he couldn't. In moments of honesty – such as when he was being violently ill each morning – he allowed himself to think about it, about _him_... But generally, his thoughts tended to be filled with hate towards this..._creature_ that was leeching off of his body, making him sick, making his body _change..._

Kurt shook his head violently.

"No. Don't think about it." He ordered himself under his breath.

"Kurt?" Blaine asked gently, taking Kurt's hand. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

But no, today... Today he _had_ to think about it. Today was his first ultrasound, and they'd both taken the time off work (Blaine was skipping a lecture) to go.

"Kurt Hummel?"

Kurt's head shot up automatically and the nurse smiled at him. "If you'll just follow me?"

Blaine stood up, urging Kurt to his feet.

"Come on." He said softly, his thumb rubbing circles on the back of Kurt's hand. "Let's go see our son."

^.^

Kurt lay on the table, shirt hitched up under his arms, staring blankly at the screen as the nurse squeezed goop onto his stomach. Blaine held Kurt's hand, trying hard to keep himself from bouncing in excitement as he squinted at the screen.

"There he is Kurt! I can see him!" He said excitedly, making the nurse laugh at his enthusiasm.

"He looks like a seahorse." Kurt said flatly. The nurse smiled at them both.

"He's about the size of a jelly bean, and he's moving already, you just can't feel it yet." The nurse said calmly. "You should be able to feel him moving in a month or two."

Kurt froze. It wasn't bad enough that he was _already_ a freak, but now he'd have to feel that _thing_ moving as well?

"Everything's fine." The nurse was telling Blaine as Kurt tuned back in. "Would you like a picture?" Blaine nodded eagerly, waiting as the nurse pressed a few button before turning the screen off, wiping a soft cloth over Kurt's stomach.

"And there you go!" she said, handing Blaine the picture as Kurt sat up, fixing his shirt so he didn't feel so exposed. "Your next appointment is in a month's time. See you then!"

^.^

During the car ride home, Kurt turned on his side, feigning sleep so he didn't have to deal with Blaine's excitement. By the time they got home, he _was_ half asleep.

He felt the car pull to a stop and heard Blaine's seat belt click, the brush of a hand against his cheek as Blaine leant over to check if he'd woken up, the sound of the door shutting quietly as Blaine got out of the car, then of his door opening.

Blaine leant over him, unbuckling his seat belt before sliding an arm under his legs and one around his back, gently easing Kurt out of the car. Kurt cuddled into Blaine's chest, feeling warm and safe and loved.

He half smiled as he felt Blaine push the door shut with his hip, balancing Kurt with one arm as he unlocked the front door.

"I know you're awake." Blaine said softly, carrying Kurt into the lounge room.

"Mmm." Kurt smiled, nuzzling his face into Blaine's chest. "Cuddles?" he requested.

Blaine laughed, sinking carefully onto the couch. Kurt rearranged himself, curling up between Blaine and the back of the chair, half on Blaine's chest. They sat in silence for a while, cuddled together as Blaine petted Kurt's hair and Kurt yawned, wondering if it'd be okay if he went back to sleep.

Blaine broke the silence.

"I'm putting his picture on the fridge."

Kurt tensed.

"Blaine..."

"I _know_ you're not happy about this, about everything – being pregnant, having a child together while we're still so young ourselves – But Kurt... Can't you just let me be happy?"

Kurt nodded into Blaine's chest, tears welling in his eyes. Blaine was right, he was being selfish, letting his hatred and anger about what was happening to him affect Blaine's happiness – _their_ happiness.

"You can be happy for the both of us." He whispered, crying silently. "-but Blaine... I'm _scared."_

Blaine hugged him closer, a hand dropping to rub his stomach soothingly.

"We'll be okay Kurt..." He whispered, pulling Kurt's head up to face him. "We'll be okay, because we have each other." He promised, sealing his words with a soft kiss.

Kurt nodded, his head dropping to rest on Blaine's chest again.

He hoped so...

* * *

**_A/N: Liking it so far?_**


	3. Just Not What We Were After

**_A/N: ~~ Okay, so some of the A/N's I'll take out altogether because they have nothing to do, just being there.~~_**

* * *

Kurt glared down at his stomach, lifting his feet up to rest them on the other end of the couch. In the past couple of weeks, he'd grown rapidly – to the point where he'd had to quit his job and swap to an external college course because he couldn't hide his baby bump any longer. Everyone who knew had been commenting about it, and he just couldn't take it any longer. He wanted him out. He wanted _it_ gone.

He simply had no use for the bump. Okay, so it worked well enough as a table when he was feeling lazy, or a pillow when Blaine fell asleep on him, but really that was it. The rest of the time it just got in the way, making his back sore with the added weight, and causing him to misjudge spaces and get several painful bruises.

But that was okay. He could deal with all of that.

He had a plan.

They doctors at the hospital had been repeatedly stressing the need for Kurt to eat more - to keep both him and the baby healthy. Kurt's plan was to eat the same amount he normally did - possibly even less - denying the fact that he needed more nutrients because the baby was taking most of his.

All Kurt had to do was pretend he wasn't hungry - fake eat - and drink lots of water, and his problem would be gone, and his life could go back to normal.

It was that easy.

Blaine watched worriedly as Kurt got thinner and thinner, sicker and unhealthier, ignoring both Blaine and the doctor.

"Kurt...what are you doing?" Blaine asked one afternoon, sadly spooning himself some carrots.

Kurt raised an eyebrow, but his look of confusion was masked by the dark rings around his eyes and his hollowed out cheeks. He looked like absolute shit.

"What do you mean?"

"You're not looking after yourself." Blaine said softly, standing up and crossing to Kurt, placing his hands on Kurt's stomach. "Or him."

Kurt frowned, swatting his hands away like he'd done numerous times in the past.

"I am. It's fine."

"It? Kurt, I thought we talked about this."

Kurt shook his head. "Blaine, stop worrying. I know how to take care of it."

"Kurt...please...maybe we should go to the doctor. Are you eating enough?"

Kurt stood up angrily, and Blaine recoiled. "Blaine, for the last fucking time, I'm...oh..."

Blaine's eyes widened as Kurt flung out an arm to try and steady himself, but he missed the table and collapsed in a heap.

"Kurt!" Blaine flung himself to Kurt's side, trying to wake him. "Oh my god...oh my god..."

He was heavy, but Blaine was strong - he lifted him and carried him to the car, almost straining under the weight of both Kurt and the baby. He ran back inside, collecting a few things for Kurt before locking the door and speeding towards the hospital.

Blaine took him straight to the ER, and they'd taken one look at Kurt before sedating him properly and putting him in a hospital bed. Putting him on a drip - to get the proper nutrients into him - they kept him sedated for three days.

^.^

Kurt blinked awake groggily. His head felt like crap, his body fairing not much better, and his arm stung. Finding the source of the problem, he found the drip and groaned inwardly. Apparently his plan didn't work.

His abdomen gave a shudder, and it was only then he realised that Blaine was practically draped over him, whispering words to his stomach that Kurt couldn't hear.

"Blaine..." Kurt whispered.

Blaine startled and looked up, relief in his eyes. The sight made Kurt gasp.

"Oh god...Blaine...what happened?" Blaine looked like hell – like he hadn't slept in weeks, and like he'd been crying for years.

"Kurt...how can you...what...Kurt, do you even know what you're doing?" Blaine swallowed hard, tears rising to his eyes. "Do you know what you could've done?"

Kurt closed his eyes. So Blaine knew.

"I...I don't want it. I just...I want everything back to normal. I'm sorry if you love it and you want it, but it's just...it's so hard." Tears fell from Kurt's closed eyes, and Blaine frowned.

"Kurt..."

"I'm sorry Blaine..."

Blaine shook his head, his mouth open in shock.

"Kurt...I don't think you understand...if you...if you..." he winced. "_Miscarry, _it's...it's not just him who gets hurt. Kurt, we're men! Our bodies aren't designed to carry babies...if you miscarry...you'll..." his breathing hitched, more tears falling as he choked back a sob. "You might die too."

Blaine sobbed loudly, burying his face in Kurt's chest, his shoulders shuddering violently as Kurt just looked at him.

He was frozen, a giant ball falling into the pit of his stomach. He couldn't speak, he couldn't _anything. _He could've died.

He could have _died._

Tears welled in his eyes and he shook his head.

"What?"

Blaine couldn't speak. The every thought of Kurt slowly killing himself because of his _son_ was too much to handle. Far too much.

"Blaine...I'm...I'm dying?" he gasped, his eyes widening as more tears filled them.

Blaine shook his head frantically, wrapping his arms around Kurt as tight as he could, despite the swell of his stomach.

"No...no, no, no, no!" Blaine swallowed hard. "You're okay. You're _both_ okay. We got you here in time." he soothed gently.

Kurt could only look at Blaine, before finally it hit him, and he clutched at Blaine's shoulders, crying in relief.

Blaine shifted up the bed and crawled in beside him, holding him close as they cried, until they were both drawing shuddering breaths - finally calm. Blaine could only think of Kurt and his baby...what he could've lost. What he almost lost.

"Blaine..." Kurt whispered, when he was sure he could talk without bursting into tears.

"Yeah?" Blaine said just as softly, pressing a kiss to his temple and smoothing down his hair.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"Shh..." Blaine soothed, kissing him again. "It's okay. It'll be okay."

Kurt slumped against Blaine, unable to stop himself from crying again. If he got rid of it, it would kill him, if he didn't, it would destroy his life - the life that he was supposed to spend onstage...on screen - singing.

It was a long while before Blaine spoke again.

"Kurt...?" he asked hesitantly. "What were you trying to do?"

"...I...I wanted it gone. I wanted it dead. I don't want it Blaine. It's going to ruin everything." he sighed. "I just wanted everything back to normal...when I wasn't a freak...and I didn't have this stupid stomach...and-"

Blaine interrupted him by holding him at arms length, looking him in the eye seriously.

"Kurt...you have _got_ to believe me when I say that there is _nothing_ wrong with you. This whole...situation is fucked up, because neither of us knew that this was ever a possibility. But you're pregnant...and the doctors know - you're not the only one. It doesn't make you a freak - it's a natural occurrence. Okay?"

Kurt gave a slow, hesitant nod.

"I still feel like a freak though." he said quietly. "There's a thing...and it's growing inside me. People stare at me. They point...they make faces. They don't understand...it's like high school all over again."

"Kurt...fuck them. They don't have the right, and you can ignore them. Just like high school. They're a bunch of ignorant dickheads."

"But this thing is-"

"Kurt, it isn't a thing!" Blaine cut him off sharply, sick of his attitude. "It's a _baby! Our _baby. You're not carrying an 'it' or a 'creature' or whatever else you've been calling him. You're carrying a _baby_.A tiny, helpless, weak baby...who _we_ have to look after, and protect and teach and watch grow. We're going to be a family, and right now, that means looking after you, and keeping you healthy."

Kurt nodded, leaning against Blaine's chest, chewing on his lip thoughtfully.

Blaine let him think, rubbing soothing hands down Kurt's back. He'd missed having Kurt feel comfortable enough around him to take comfort in his arms, and he was enjoying being able to hold Kurt – to hold his _family_ – close, to know that they were safe in his arms.

"Blaine?"

"Mmm?"

"What were you doing when I woke up?"

Blaine blushed.

"I was talking to him. The doctor says he can hear us."

Kurt took a deep breath.

"I should... I want to try." He said determinedly, reminding himself forcibly – it's a baby Kurt, _your_ baby – and gently pulled his shirt up, uncovering his stomach.

"..What should I say?"

Blaine smiled, placing a gentle hand on Kurt's stomach.

"Maybe you should just say hi?"

Kurt bit his lip, nodding slowly.

"Okay... " He leant over his stomach a little. "...hi...baby..." he whispered, a little hesitantly. Blaine shifted, moving back to the other end of the bed and lowering his head until his lips were practically touching Kurt's stomach.

"Did you hear that baby?" Blaine said quietly. "That was your other daddy. He didn't mean to hurt you baby, he loves us both very much..."

Kurt leant back against the pillows, trying hard not to cry. Resting comfortably, eyes closed as he listened to the nonsense Blaine was mumbling to the baby, he fell asleep, Blaine's hand's either side of his stomach, lips brushing gently against it every now and then.

^.^

Kurt was finally allowed to go home after a week in hospital, the doctors finally satisfied that he wasn't going to hurt himself again, and that they'd given him and the baby enough nutrients.

Blaine helped him into the car, throwing his bag into the backseat.

"The first thing I'm going to do is have a bath." Kurt said dreamily as Blaine slid into the driver's seat.

Blaine laughed, teasing him gently.

"Am I invited?"

"Well, at the very least, you'll have to help me in and out of the bathtub." Kurt sniffed. "So...I guess so." he relented, smiling at Blaine when he took his hand.

"Okay." Blaine laughed. "Let's get you home then."

^.^

Kurt managed to fall asleep during the trip home, getting woken up as Blaine kissed his cheek after he'd stopped the car.

"Need me to help you inside?"

"No." Kurt yawned as he got out of the car – and promptly staggered, almost falling over. "Maybe."

Blaine chuckled. "Want me to carry you?"

"No, no...I've been enough of a hassle."

Blaine smirked, lifting him up anyway and kissing his cheek. "I beg to differ."

Kurt mumbled his complaints, but still snuggled into Blaine's arms. He _was_ still tired...

Blaine deposited him on the couch, kissing him gently.

"I'm going to go run that bath."

"Okay." Kurt mumbled, half asleep.

Ten minutes later Blaine was back, gently nudging Kurt awake, and guiding him down the hallway.

"Come on." Blaine chided gently, nudging Kurt with his shoulder when his eyes half closed.

"I'm awake!" Kurt protested, stripping off his clothes as Blaine did the same, before holding his arms out to Blaine. Blaine smiled, kissing Kurt's cheek as he helped him into the bathtub, settling down in the water together, Kurt between Blaine's legs as he leant back on Blaine's chest.

"This is nice." He mumbled, his eyes drifting shut as he rested his head on Blaine's shoulder.

"Don't go to sleep."

"Why not?"

"You'll drown."

"Isn't that why you're here?" Kurt yawned.

Blaine laughed in Kurt's ear, kissing his cheek.

"I finally get you alone and you fall asleep on me?" he teased.

Kurt huffed.

"That's not fair! You mmf-" Blaine cut Kurt off with a kiss, pressing their mouths together insistently.

Kurt let himself kiss back, before he felt something pressing against his back.

"Blaine..." he warned. "I'm already pregnant."

Blaine chuckled against his lips, gently shifting his hips against Kurt.

"Oy. Stop." Kurt said firmly and Blaine sighed, kissing his neck gently.

"Sorry. But honestly. Six months babe."

"Yeah, and you can wait sixteen more."

Blaine blanched behind him. "What?"

"We're not having sex before he's a year old. We'll never have time."

Blaine frowned, kissing his neck gently. "You're a cruel man."

Kurt smiled and nestled back against him, and Blaine ran tentative hands along his sides until they rested on his stomach. Pausing, Kurt smiled, resting his hands over Blaine's.

"I can feel him moving." Blaine whispered in awe.

Kurt giggled, shifting Blaine's hands to where he could feel the movement stronger, and gingerly spreading his own hands over his stomach – the first time he'd done so willingly since he'd begun to show. The first few days after he'd found out, he'd poked his stomach incessantly, unable to help himself, unable to believe it. After he'd begun to show, he's kept his hands away, refusing to let Blaine touch his stomach, trying hard, for all intents and purposes to pretend it wasn't happening. Now though... Now, they were a family, and 'it' was a baby, _their_ baby... So he was letting himself believe, letting him into his heart.

"I love you." Blaine whispered, and Kurt gave a small sigh of contentment, resting his head against Blaine's chest.

"I love you too."

* * *

**_A/N: Just so you know, 'mpreg' stands for 'male pregnancy'. Thought I should tell you, because I spent ages thinking it meant 'mild pregnancy'... I'm a little derp at times ^^_**


	4. Just Not Our Cup Of Tea

"Oh my god."

Kurt sat bolt upright in bed, his hands flying to his stomach, his eyes wide.

Blaine was immediately up beside him. "Oh my god? Is it coming? Jesus Christ, where's my-"

"No, no…it's not coming…" Kurt said softly, his eyes still wide.

Blaine took a deep breath, about ready to have a heart attack. "Oh…what's wrong then?"

"Blaine…we're having a baby."

Blaine looked at him seriously, his eyes narrowed. "Seriously? It's three in the morning."

Kurt shook his head frantically. "No, Blaine…we're _having a baby._ I have to tell my dad!" he froze. "Oh my god…"

Blaine was also a little stunned. "Yeah…you can do that bit…."

Kurt shook his head, clutching at Blaine. "You have to be there with me. He's less likely to kill you if we can talk about it."

Blaine blanched. "You don't think Carole would have told him?"

"He would've called me. I think…" Kurt whispered, but shook his head. "Aside from that…Blaine…we have so much to do!"

"What do you mean?"

"Blaine…strollers, beds, nappies…change tables…a high chair, oh my god a car seat…"

Blaine put both hands on Kurt's shoulders, staring into his eyes with a fond smile. "Babe…we've got at least three more months."

"Blaine…we're on a _very_ low budget…oh god…how are we going to pay for all this…"

"Kurt. Relax. Stressing will only hurt you." Blaine said, but he was starting to get worried too.

How _were_ they going to pay for it? He supposed they could get money from the government, although it would be limited. Hell, would the government even _cover_ this kind of thing?

Blaine sighed. They managed to rent the house fine – they would be okay.

He hoped.

"Just…go back to bed. Later on today we'll make a list and we'll go shopping, okay? And when we've been shopping, we can gently ease your dad into it, okay? We'll show him the stuff we've bought and explain it that way."

Kurt swallowed hard and nodded, letting Blaine drag him back down to the pillows, cuddling into him. Blaine's arms instinctively wrapped around him, his hands gently massaging his stomach.

"How does he feel?" Blaine whispered, nestling his face into Kurt's neck.

"Like a lump." Kurt giggled. "A big, fat lump of rock, sitting in my pelvis."

Blaine chuckled, tucking his head over Kurt's shoulder to watch his stomach.

"Hey baby." Blaine said softly, stroking the stretched skin gently.

Kurt gasped out and chuckled. "He likes your voice." He whispered. "Kicked me…really hard."

Blaine beamed widely – he was _so_ delighted to have this opportunity – to have a baby that was completely his, and to have it with Kurt was the best thing that could ever happen to him.

Before Kurt had accepted _their_ baby, he often watched him while Kurt was sleeping, knowing Kurt didn't like it when Blaine acknowledged the baby's existence. It was hard – being a part of his life while Kurt was so adverse to it – and he honestly didn't know what he would have done if Kurt completely rejected him, or killed himself over the baby.

It just made him ecstatic to be able to be there – touching and talking and laughing and _sharing_ him with Kurt.

"You should talk to him more." Blaine said softy.

"I feel like an idiot."

"He doesn't think so." Blaine grinned as Kurt cringed, shifting uncomfortably.

Kurt laughed. "I swear, he's sitting _right_ on my bladder."

Blaine laughed giddily, pressing another kiss to Kurt's neck. They settled in silence, and Blaine smiled when Kurt fell back to sleep easily. Blaine nuzzled him again, glad to find Kurt filling out in his arms – gaining back the weight and looking healthier every day.

"Love you Kurt." Blaine whispered, hugging him tighter. "Love you baby."

Blaine smiled when Kurt whimpered, and closed his eyes.

^.^

When Blaine woke up, Kurt was already gone. He yawned and sat up groggily; cursing the fact that waking up at three in the morning was easier than seven.

He stumbled downstairs, finding Kurt with a glass of water and a list.

"Your coffee is on the bench." Kurt grinned. "Good morning!"

Blaine mumbled a reply, dropping a kiss to his cheek before shuffling into the kitchen with a yawn, retrieving his mug of warm coffee – just the way he liked it. Draining at least half, he refilled his mug before sitting with Kurt.

"What's the list?"

"Baby things." Kurt said softly. "Things we really _need. _I've been looking online and I talked to Carole – she hasn't told anyone."

"Neither have we." Blaine said softly. "It's amazing how easily you can keep a secret."

"Sure. Easy." Kurt rolled his eyes. "I haven't seen Mercedes in six months."

"She's in LA, so I wouldn't be too worried." Blaine smirked.

The only reason they had been able to keep it from everyone was the fact that everyone left – and the ones who didn't, weren't able or didn't care enough to keep in contact. But it suited Blaine and Kurt just fine. Nobody had to find out – not until the baby was born, at least.

"Whatever. Can I read to you?"

Blaine nodded, and Kurt started his list. There were the obvious – nappies, car seats, high chair, stroller, cots – and then the less obvious, like nappy soaking buckets and cotton singlets and face washers.

When he finished, Blaine took a deep breath. "Whoa."

"Yeah."

"Can't he just sleep with us? Why get a cot? We could save a lot of mone-"

"Blaine, one of us could crush him! You move so much when you sleep…what if we smother him?"

Blaine sighed. "Okay…well…can we use the bassinette as a bed? Until we can afford a cot?"

Kurt bit his lip, pulling out his phone to Google it.

"Yes!" he grinned triumphantly.

Blaine sat with him and the phone, and together they worked through the list until they had the barest minimum – and it was relatively affordable.

"We could look in second hand stores…" Kurt said softly, glancing at the list again. "I'm sure people throw this stuff out once their kids get old enough."

Blaine nodded enthusiastically, his excitement bubbling as he finished his second coffee.

"Can we go now!"

Kurt laughed. "It's only eight-thirty. The shops won't open until nine."

"Can we wait outside?"

Kurt kissed him gently, shaking his head. "Patience babe."

"But what if I don't _want_ to be patient?" Blaine whined. Kurt laughed.

"We still need to have breakfast, and get dressed." he reminded Blaine.

Blaine glanced down at himself before looking up with a sheepish smile.

"Oops."

^.^

An hour later, finally ready to leave, Blaine waited impatiently at the door, revised shopping list tucked securely in his pocket.

"Come on Kurt!" he called up the stairs.

"You try moving fast with a great big lump in your stomach!" Kurt called back, patting his baby bump affectionately. "Daddy's a bit impatient." he told it quietly as he left the room, making his way down the stairs.

Today he'd managed to find the baggiest shirt he could – pulling off an innocent beer belly, or even a food baby. He tended not to show as much as most women in their second trimester, and for that he was thankful.

Blaine smirked when he saw the shirt, pulling it up to kiss Kurt's stomach.

"_Now_ are we ready?"

Kurt smiled, tugging his shirt back into place.

"Maybe."

^.^

Ten minutes later they were outside of the first shop on their list - a secondhand store.

Entering, they wandered absently, quickly picking up a couple of bargains - a bagful of assorted baby clothes for only a couple of dollars, a five dollar pram. Satisfied they'd gotten everything from that store that they could, they paid and moved on.

In a couple of hours they'd picked up everything on their 'necessary' list - and quite a few that had been on their 'later' list, all for much less then they'd been expecting to spend.

When they got home, Kurt was beaming from ear to ear, carrying a few bags – the ones filled with clothes and lighter things, because those were the only ones Blaine allowed him to carry. He had turned into super-protective dad since Kurt had become more accepting – and that was how they measured time – before and after their 'incident'.

"This is so exciting!" Kurt grinned, dropping his bags and moving to help Blaine carry the cot in.

Blaine hissed playfully, warning Kurt not to touch it.

"I can do it babe. You need to rest."

Kurt huffed. "I'm not a woman."

"That's a bit sexist." He teased and Kurt rolled his eyes.

"Just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I'm a woman." Kurt pouted, dropping the crib and crossing his arms across his stomach protectively.

Blaine smiled.

"Well, it kinda does." he teased.

Kurt scowled at him, stomping up the stairs in a huff.

Blaine frowned at the crib, realising he'd said something wrong.

He sighed and finished carrying everything in before he went upstairs to find Kurt.

Kurt was lying on his side on the bed, curled away from the door, rubbing soothing circles on his stomach. Put simply, he was sulking.

Blaine smiled a little and crawled onto the bed, touching Kurt's shoulder gently.

"Go away. Leave me and baby alone." He said softly.

Blaine raised an eyebrow. "Babe, you know I didn't mean it…"

Kurt rolled onto his back with a huff. "It still hurt."

Blaine kissed the side of his face, petting his hair gently.

"Come help me set up the nursery."

Kurt's eyes suddenly widened and brightened and he grinned, matching Blaine's smirk. Good old mood swings.

"I'll bring the stuff up, and you can tell me where you want them."

"Blaine. You bring the stuff up, and I'll put them where I want them."

"But…"

"Blaine." Kurt frowned, and he sighed, giving up.

"Fine."

Kurt grinned triumphantly and gasped, his hands flying to his stomach as the baby kicked. He chuckled, rubbing his hands over it soothingly.

"Baby likes it when I win."

Blaine rolled his eyes and started downstairs to gather the first piece of furniture.

^.^

Three hours or so later Kurt had finally finished organising the nursery to his satisfaction. He collapsed into the rocking chair they'd bought, hands rubbing at his baby bump.

"Must you sit on my bladder?" he mumbled to it, yawning. Blaine laughed.

"You have another three months of this."

"Don't remind me." Kurt groaned.

Blaine raised an eyebrow. "I thought we were passed this."

Kurt chuckled, rubbing his hands gently over his stomach and gazing at it almost fondly now. "Yeah. I love him."

Blaine grinned widely and dropped to his knees, gently spreading Kurt's thighs and nestling between them, resting his cheek on Kurt's stomach happily and wrapping his arms around Kurt.

"I love this…" Blaine whispered. "So much."

Kurt petted his hair gently, beaming down at him, before taking a deep breath.

"I guess it's time to call dad."

Blaine looked up and gulped audibly.

"What do you think he'll say?"

Kurt let out a small sigh and shrugged. "I can only see him freaking out. It's the only possible way he'd react."

Blaine found his hand and clutched at it, fishing for his mobile and giving it to Kurt.

Suddenly nervous, Kurt took the phone with shaking fingers and dialled, taking a deep breath as he waited.

"Hello?"

Blaine clutched his hand tighter.

"Yeah, it's me. I've…uh…Could you and Carole come over? I've…I've got something to show you."


	5. We're Just Gonna Have To Move On

Carole and Burt were standing in the nursery.

Carole and Burt were standing in the _nursery._

The nursery, that in three months, would hold Kurt's own baby. From his _uterus._

"I don't think I can do this." Blaine whispered into Kurt's neck from the doorway, and Kurt scoffed.

"At least they're not your parents!"

"You seem awfully calm about this…" Blaine hissed, taking Kurt's hand and squeezing.

Kurt shrugged, but his fingers were trembling. Burt finally turned around and gave them a long look.

"Something you haven't been telling us?" Burt raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah…we're uh…we're having a baby…" Kurt said softly, faltering slightly.

Burt didn't look happy.

"Aren't you two a little young to be considering adoption?"

Kurt bit his lip. "It's not adoption, exactly."

Burt frowned. "Surrogacy?"

Kurt took a deep breath and looked to Carole, who nodded encouragingly with a small smile. With a small gulp, he stepped out of Blaine's embrace.

"Not surrogacy." With tentative fingers, Kurt slowly lifted the fabric of his baggy shirt over his stomach, revealing the skin that had stretched over the baby's growth.

There was a stunned silence.

"You..That.. Men can't get pregnant. No."

Kurt dropped his shirt, wrapping his arms protectively around himself. Blaine stepped up behind him, pulling Kurt back into his arms, offering comfort.

"Dad…" Kurt whispered.

"This is a joke right?" Burt laughed awkwardly. Carole looked at her feet, slightly ashamed. "Right?"

"Burt, I think we should go."

"Why?"

"Because you're making Kurt feel horrible." Carole said.

Kurt tensed at the mention of his name, turning to hide his face in Blaine's shirt. Blaine murmured something to him and Kurt nodded. Carole smiled at them apologetically as Blaine pulled Kurt from the room.

"Burt, let's go."

"But Kurt.."

Blaine reappeared out of their room, watching as Carole tugged Burt down the stairs.

"I haven't said good bye yet!" he protested.

"Burt, just go." Carole sighed.

She glanced up at Blaine, standing guard in front of his bedroom door and half smiled.

"I'll try to explain to him...I'll call you later okay?"

Blaine nodded and she hesitated.

"Blaine... He _isn't_ rejecting you... He just honestly doesn't understand."

Blaine shrugged.

"You don't have to convince me. You have to convince him." he gestured to the door.

Carole sighed.

"I know. I'll call you." she said as she left, shutting the front door behind herself.

Blaine gave himself a moment before he went back in to Kurt.

"Are they gone?"

Blaine pulled Kurt into his arms, rubbing his back as Kurt cried softly.

"Are you okay?"

Kurt whimpered, nuzzling his face against Blaine's chest.

"Why wasn't he upset? Why didn't he freak out?"

"I don't know." Blaine said softly, still rubbing at Kurt's back.

"She should've told him. That would've been better. It's like he didn't even believe me!" he whispered, cuddling into Blaine tighter.

"Carole will fix it, okay?" Blaine assured him, and Kurt nodded gently with a small sigh, pulling his shirt up again to look at it.

"Hi baby." He said softly, and Blaine smiled, rubbing his hands along Kurt's sides as he talked. "Those were your grandparents."

"They're going to love you." Blaine said softly from over his shoulder. "They just need time."

Kurt squeezed his eyes closed as his mobile rang, and he frowned, grabbing it from the bedside table.

"Hello?"

"Kurt…you're…you're pregnant…?"

Kurt drew in a deep breath. "Yeah dad."

"How…?"

Kurt blushed. "Uhh…"

"It's Blaine, isn't it?"

"Yeah…"

"Can I talk to him?"

Kurt faltered. "Uhm…"

"Please Kurt."

He finally handed the phone over to Blaine, who took it apprehensively.

"Hello?"

"Did you know?"

"What?"

"Did you know you'd get my boy pregnant?"

"No sir." Blaine said calmly. "I didn't even know it was possible."

Kurt stroked Blaine's arm, offering comfort as he heard his father's voice get louder, causing Blaine to wince. After a few minutes Blaine hung up, staring at the phone.

"Carole took it off him." he explained to Kurt, a little shocked.

"Blaine? _What did he say_?"

Blaine shook his head.

"You don't need to know."

"Blaine..."

"Kurt, you _don't_ need to know."

Kurt sighed, dropping his head to rest it on Blaine's shoulder again.

"Oh, Kurt?"

"Mm?"

"Carole's sending Rachel and Finn over."

"When?"

"Um, now?" Blaine said as a car pulled up outside.

Kurt's eyes went wide.

"Blaine... Do they _know?"_

"I'm not sure..."'

Kurt's eyes widened further. "Oh my god…"

"Do you want me to tell them you're sick?"

"KURT!" Rachel's voice screeched up the stairs, and he panicked. "COME HERE!"

"Ughhh, Hold on Rachel! I uhh…"

Her thundering footsteps echoed up the hall and Kurt froze.

"Blaine!" he whimpered, and Blaine quickly shut the door and stood out in the hallway, blocking the path when Rachel stormed up.

"Blaine, get out of my way!" she frowned.

"Kurt's um….sick. He's like, throwing up and stuff. He doesn't want to see you."

"Then why aren't you in there, looking after him!" she frowned. "You're the father of his child!"

Blaine was stunned. So she knew? In his silence, she managed to worm past him, opening the door to find Kurt with a classic 'deer-in-the-headlights' look.

Rachel flung herself at him, engulfing him in a death-grip.

"I'm very angry at you." She said, kissing his cheek gently.

Kurt was still frozen, trying to angle his stomach away from her. Immediately she dropped to her knees, pulling up his shirt to reveal his bulging stomach.

"Oh Kurt…it's beautiful!" she gushed with a grin, and Kurt finally got his words back.

"What….how…how did you know?"

"I had to hear it from Finn, five minutes before we got here!" She frowned, standing back up. "_That_ is why I'm angry at you. Why didn't you tell me?"

Kurt pulled his shirt down, a flustered grin on his lips. "I…how do you explain something like this?"

She grinned. "What were you afraid of?" she laughed. "Me not believing you? Kurt, how could I not? You've got a freakin' bulge! Anyway, why would you make this up?"

Kurt let out a deep breath, pulling her into a hug. Blaine and Finn stood at the doorway, quietly talking.

"Thank you." he breathed into her hair. Rachel laughed, her hands dropping to Kurt's waist.

"For what? And I think you'd better let me go, the baby's kicking the hell out of me. I don't think she likes hugs."

Kurt laughed, pulling back and wiping at his face.

"She?"

"I think it's a she."

"Blaine thinks it's a him."

"I guess we'll just have to wait to find out." Rachel laughed, hugging him again. "And stop hiding! I want to see!" She yanked his shirt back up, placing her hands on his stomach. "She moves a lot doesn't she?" She asked, her eyes going wide.

Kurt smiled. "You have _no_ idea."

She stared down at it with a grin. "So am I godmother or…?"

Kurt laughed. "Auntie, silly."

She giggled. "Oh my god I'm so excited!" she giggled. "Have you picked out the nursery or…?"

Kurt nodded, excitement bubbling in his chest. "Come on!"

"Kurt…be careful." Blaine said fondly from the doorway. "Don't tire yourself out."

Kurt kissed him on the cheek as they passed, and Finn followed them to the nursery.

"So…does this technically make you a girl?"

^.^

Blaine finished showing Rachel and Finn out and came back inside to find Kurt already asleep on the couch. He smiled at him fondly, laughing slightly as he came around the couch to find Kurt's shirt pulled up, and his hands on either side.

"You've had a very long day." Blaine whispered, dropping a blanket over Kurt. He leant down to kiss his cheek, swearing softly when the phone rang and ran off to answer it before it woke up Kurt.

"Hello?"

_"Blaine? It's Carole."_

Blaine smiled. "Hey."

"_I want to apologise for earlier. Burt…he's calmed down since then. It was just a bit of a shock – I should have told him earlier and-"_

"Hey, it's okay." Blaine interrupted. "Kurt was a bit upset…"

Carole seemed to hesitate. _"Can I talk to him?"_

"He's sleeping at the moment…do you want him to ring you when he wakes up?"

"Blaine…" Kurt said sleepily from the doorway, and Blaine sighed.

He half-covered the receiver. "Sorry babe. I tried to get the phone before it woke you."

"S'okay. Is that Carole?"

Blaine nodded, and Kurt held out his hand for the phone.

"Hello?"

"_Hey Kurt…I'm so sorry about your dad…"_

"Is he okay now?" Kurt asked.

He knew it wasn't his dad's fault. He couldn't blame him for rejecting the idea – Kurt had done the exact same thing.

"_He's asleep. When we got home, I talked him through it…he seemed more accepting. Do you mind if we came over tomorrow?"_

"We might come to you. We've got to go shopping for a few more things – the more expensive things like cloth nappies and stuff."

"_Are you boys able to pay for everything? We can help…"_

"No, no…we can do everything. We'd like to do everything ourselves. We're…slowly…turning into adults."

"_Fathers." _Carole clarified. "_If you boys do need help, make sure you talk to us. We'd hate for you to struggle."_

"Okay. I promise." Kurt yawned.

Carole laughed.

"_I'll let you go back to sleep now_."

"Okay." Kurt nodded. "See you tomorrow."

"_Bye!_"

They both hung up, and Kurt turned to Blaine with an uncertain smile.

"They want to see us tomorrow."

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"I don't know yet."

Blaine stepped forward, pulling Kurt into his arms. "I'm sure everything will be okay."

Kurt nodded and started to inch his way to the stairs.

"Can you come sleep now? I'm tired…and baby and I don't want to be alone."

Blaine smiled and kissed him gently before helping him up the stairs and tucking them both into bed. His hands instinctively wrapped around both Kurt and his stomach, and he planted a kiss to Kurt's shoulder.

Tomorrow was going to be a long day.


	6. Just Have To Let It Go

"B-Blaine?" Kurt called weakly. It came out as a whisper and he cleared his throat, trying again. "Blaine!"

"Kurt?" Blaine called back, running up the stairs. As it grew closer to the time Kurt was due into the hospital, Blaine had become hyper-aware of his needs – coming to his every call.

"Blaine... something's happening..." Kurt said, staring down at his baby bump in horror.

"What do you mean 'something'?" Blaine asked with a frown as he walked through the door of their room. Kurt was hunched over his stomach, curled in pain. Blaine froze in the doorway, his heart jumping into his throat.

"Shit." He breathed. "Kurt, talk to me. What's going on?"

"Oh my god…" Kurt's eyes squeeze shut and he gave a violent jerk as his stomach contracted. "Blaine…I-I think I'm going into…l-labour..." Kurt was panicking, trying hard to breathe through the waves of pain washing through him. "It's too soon…too soon. My appointment…"

"Kurt, please…please calm down." Blaine soothed, not really sure what to do.

"Blaine! I'm going to have a _baby_. I _need_ to go to the hospital."

"Shh, Kurt, it'll be okay. You have to _calm down_. Remember what the doctor said? If you panic, it might hurt the baby!" Blaine said, trying to get him to focus on calming himself down. Kurt nodded, trying to catch his breath through his sobs.

"Blaine." He moaned. "It hurts _so fucking much_."

"Shh, I know babe, I know." Blaine was mumbling nonsense, grabbing the hospital bag they'd packed and flinging it over his shoulder. He lifted Kurt up and carried him downstairs, trying to keep his focus on getting to the hospital rather then what was wrong with Kurt. He wasn't being very successful.

"Blaine?" Kurt gasped as Blaine set him in the car.

"It's okay, it's okay." Blaine assured him, but Kurt clutched at his sleeve.

"Listen to me before you start panicking." Kurt wheezed, one hand clutching at his stomach. "Call my dad."

Blaine sucked in a deep breath, nodding slightly

He pulled out his phone as he rounded to the driver's side, hitting the speed dial for Burt.

"_Hello?"_

"Kurt's at the hospital. Something's wrong. Meet us there."

He hung up without waiting for an answer, sliding into the car and starting it in the same movement. Kurt was lying against the seat, his face twisted into a grimace of pain, his eyes closed.

"Kurt!"

His eyes fluttered open. "Mm?"

"Please…keep talking to me?"

Kurt nodded, breathing deeply and rearranging himself on the seat.

"Blaine…this...this isn't going to be good."

^.^

Kurt had been rushed straight into the operating theatre when they'd arrived. A nurse had shoved a pile of cloth into Blaine's arms and seconds later he'd been at Kurt's side, scrubbed and sanitised. They hooked Kurt up to monitors and had injected him with something that they'd mentioned, but Blaine couldn't pay attention.

Everything seemed to pass in a blur, and that was probably because everything _was. _People were shouting and calling to each other, bumping into things as they hurried to get Kurt ready. It made Blaine worried.

Kurt had clutched at Blaine's hand, refusing to let go.

"Blaine." He'd choked out. "It's too early isn't it? I'm only barely eight months..."

"Shh, it'll be okay." Blaine soothed, watching wide-eyed as they prepped Kurt, wiping his stomach down with disinfectant. He looked away as they started to cut him open, though Kurt didn't seem to feel it.

Blaine pressed his lips to Kurt's forehead, kissing him repeatedly with his eyes closed, simply _praying_ that _everything_ would be okay.

"Blaine?" Kurt mumbled drowsily as people worked over his stomach.

"I'm still here Kurt." Blaine soothed, dropping his gaze to Kurt's face and stroking his cheek gently.

"Love you. You and Baby." Kurt said as a baby's crying suddenly filled the air, breaking the silence.

Kurt smiled weakly as the baby was placed on his chest.

Two seconds. Two brief seconds - Kurt saw his baby, before his eyes rolled back into his head, and the tight grasp on Blaine's hand was gone.

The monitors went wild.

Blaine watched in horror as the baby was snatched off Kurt's chest, the umbilical cord being cut in the confusion before it was taken away. Blaine couldn't pay attention to his child – Kurt was lying limp, with doctors and nurses fluttering around in somewhat of a panic.

"Kurt?" Blaine called desperately, tightening his grip on Kurt's hand.

There was no response. No short squeeze of reassurance. No nod. Kurt just lay there.

"Get him out of here!"

Blaine was suddenly pushed out of the way, and then there were hands pushing him until he somehow found himself next to the nurse in another room – adjacent to the OR. She had his baby, and he just watched, completely numb as she gently bathed, weighed, and pricked the baby's ankle, taking a blood sample.

Something told him to go back to Kurt, but he didn't turn around. He couldn't turn around. Any willpower to do something other than stare at his baby was gone. There was shouting going on in the next room – calling out numbers, statistics, recommendations, and even a couple of curses – which made Blaine wince as a cold ball developed in his gut.

Finally finished, the nurse turned with a smile.

"Congratulations…you have a beautiful healthy baby girl." She told him gently as she dressed. "She's a little underweight, but that shouldn't be a problem for too long." She laughed lightly, wrapping her in a blanket and turning to Blaine with the baby outstretched.

"Now, cradle your arms." She instructed gently, placing the baby in his hands before fixing his arms, moving them until he held the baby securely. "Do you want to take her to meet your family?"

"But...Kurt...?"

The nurse swallowed hard and gave him a reassuring smile. "They're doing everything they can in there…you'll be able to see him once they're done. For now, your baby needs to know she's okay."

Blaine nodded slowly, gently stroking over the baby's cheek, willing himself not to cry or tear up or let go to the fear that was plaguing him.

"Will...Will he be okay?" he had to ask.

The nurse's expression was full of sadness as she gazed at the baby in his arms.

"I don't know."

^.^

Half an hour later found Blaine pacing the waiting room, half in shock and worry, and half in awe of the tiny little girl in his arms. That was when Burt and Carole found him, rushing to his side.

"Where's Kurt? How is he?" Burt demanded. Carole's eyes were on the baby in his arms.

"I don't know. I can't…nobody will tell me anything and I can't get in there and he's in surgery and…"

"Blaine, calm down!" Carole said softly, stroking his arm gently.

Burt looked absolutely livid. "Where is he?"

"In the OR…they forced me to leave…I can't."

"Both of you, calm down!" Carole said softly as their loud voices woke the baby.

Carole tutted and took the baby from Blaine's arms, who let her go without a word. She fussed over the little girl, and suddenly Burt's eyes widened.

"Is this…?"

Blaine nodded. "Kurt's. She was born like…half an hour ago." He whispered.

Burt looked over at her, swallowing hard and shaking his head in disbelief.

"What was Kurt like…?" Carole asked gently, sitting down by Blaine's side.

Blaine's eyes suddenly filled with tears and he let out a sob, letting himself cry now that he had someone older – someone to rely on – with him. He shook his head and Burt awkwardly patted his shoulder as he cried. There was something missing in Blaine – maybe it was the shock – but he seemed empty. Finally, Blaine was able to compose himself.

"He was…she was crying. They'd taken her out and she was crying, and then he just…" Blaine sobbed again, the force of it wracking his body.

"I think he's dying!"


	7. It Would Have Been Nice

Tears cascaded down Blaine's face as he stared at his baby - his little girl - and Kurt was nowhere in sight.

Everything was wrong with this scene. With everything.

Kurt was supposed to be there. He was supposed to be scolding Blaine for holding her wrong, and they were supposed to be at home, settling her in the cot they'd chosen.

Blaine let out a small sob and pulled his little girl closer, wishing that he could name her...but it didn't seem right without Kurt.

Nothing seemed right.

Blaine was empty. A hollow shell of nothing.

He was scared.

He had pounced on a nurse the second she left the room Kurt had been in, and her grave face made Blaine burst into a fresh set of tears. She wouldn't tell him what was happening - if he was okay or if he was even alive.

He was helpless. Helpless and worried and with a baby, not more than four hours old.

Carole and Burt had left - Burt was panicking too much to be healthy and Carole had to get him home, telling Blaine that he needed to call her if _anything_ happened.

She had even offered to stay, but he waved her off and started pacing - he'd been doing that since they left.

Baby often watched him - she didn't cry, she just stared at him. He talked to her too - mumbling under his breath worriedly - mostly about Kurt more than anything.

Finally - _finally - _the door to the OR opened, and a tired looking doctor stepped out.

Blaine's eyes widened and he stood, clutching Baby to his chest.

"Is he...?"

"Kurt is...stable." the doctor said softly, sitting Blaine down and taking a seat next to him. "When we were removing the baby, we hit an artery we weren't expecting - we've only performed the Caesarean's on males a few times - and I've never done it before myself, so it's a bit of a new thing."

Blaine got another pit of cold in his stomach. "That isn't very reassuring."

"He's stable. We've stitched him up and he's okay. They're just cleaning up in there and they'll put him in a proper room before you can see him properly."

Blaine swallowed hard and nodded. "Thank you.

Kurt was _stable._

That meant nothing, in terms of how Blaine felt.

He nervously shuffled Baby, holding her tighter. She was all he had right now.

"Can I walk with the bed to his room?" Blaine asked softly and the doctor nodded as the door opened, and the bed pushed through.

Blaine's breathing hitched as he saw Kurt - pale and limp and lifeless and so un-Kurt that it wasn't funny. He froze, but the doctor's firm grip on his arm kept him moving.

"Will he be okay?" Blaine breathed.

"Yes. He should be now. We've repaired the damage and he should wake up soon."

Blaine nodded and continued to follow them, waiting in the corner of a room while they settled the bed in.

Finally, they were all gone, and Blaine let out a long breath - finally able to relax.

Kurt was _fine. _

All he had to do now was wake up.

Blaine sank into a chair beside the bed, rearranging Baby in his arms and leaning forward to take Kurt's hand. He looked back down at Baby, frowning, thinking about how _wrong _it was that Kurt hadn't had a chance to hold her properly. He swallowed hard, before shifting and settling, closing his eyes – not sleeping, but resting, with a firm grip on Baby - and getting ready for the long wait.

^.^

"B-Blaine?"

"Kurt?" Blaine gasped, his eyes flicking open instantly.

"You're...You're all...p-pretty." Kurt giggled.

Blaine half smiled. Kurt was _fine_. A bit loopy from...whatever they'd injected him with, but _fine_. Absolutely _fine._

Blaine leant forward, kissing Kurt's cheek. "I'm so glad you're okay."

Kurt laughed. "Why...why wouldn't I be okay?"

Blaine just closed his eyes and breathed in everything that was Kurt, realising that Kurt might _not_ have been okay. Just how close was Blaine to losing his boyfriend? He drew in another breath and rested his forehead against Kurt's.

"I love you."

Kurt smiled. "You have a baby in your arms."

"Do you want to hold her?"

Kurt frowned. "Why?"

Blaine raised an eyebrow. "Kurt..."

His eyes suddenly widened and his hands suddenly clutched at his stomach, his face contorting into a mask of pain. "Ow."

Blaine chuckled, taking Kurt's hands away and opening them, placing Baby between them. Kurt just looked down, his eyes slowly taking in the bundle of life.

"Is she a boy? Like...like you thought?" Kurt asked, his head tilting to one side.

"No, Baby's a girl." Blaine laughed, stroking Kurt's head gently.

"We can't keep calling her... baby." Kurt mumbled in frustration. "She...needs a name. A _nice..._ name. Like Hepsibah."

"We're _not_ calling her Hepsibah, no matter how pretty you think it is."

"But _why?_" Kurt pouted. "It's a _nice..._ name."

"Kurt, what about Rose?"

Kurt wrinkled his nose. "Rose? Rosie...posie...rose..." he giggled. "Like the flower?" he snorted. "I still like Hepsibah better...I think..."

Blaine needed to distract him. There was no way his daughter would be called Hepsibah.

But Kurt seemed to distract himself, gazing down at her in a newfound awe. Unable to help himself, Blaine pulled out his phone, snapping a picture of them together.

"She's... b-beautiful." Kurt smiled. "You... are so beautiful, yes...you are." Kurt cooed to her.

Blaine laughed, kissing Kurt's cheek, his eyes bright and excited - now that he knew Kurt was okay.

^.^

They spent almost an hour together, passing the baby back and forth between them, laughing and discussing names. Kurt was slowly finding himself more aware of himself – _very_ slowly recovering from the drugs.

Blaine moved to pick her up once more, and suddenly she let out an ear piercing shriek of discomfort. Kurt let out a cry of panic – the sudden sound scaring him in his dopey state. He sat up in a rush and gasped out with a sharp whimper.

Blaine had barely stepped away before the monitors went off, adding to the noise of Baby's shrieks and Kurt's sobs. Three seconds later, the door was flung open and a parade of people flooded in – doctors and nurses practically shoved him out of the way and covered Kurt.

Blaine barely caught words – _unstable,_ _internal bleeding, too early – _before Kurt was suddenly wheeled out of the room – pale and covered in a dark red liquid – with no sign of being conscious.

^.^

Carole and Burt arrived back at the hospital as soon as Blaine had called – he was a sobbing mess, not able to cope with what just happened. Carole immediately took Baby, taking her to get fed, while Burt tried to console Blaine.

He wasn't doing very well.

"I'm sure he'll be fine."

"There was so much blood." Blaine blurted. "It was just..._pouring_ from...all over his stomach...oh god...what if he's dying? What if he _dies? _What am I going to-"

"Blaine."

Burt's firm tone was enough to shut him up, but he couldn't stop the sobs wracking his body. Burt placed a hand on his shoulder, stroking his back comfortingly. Inside, he was panicking. He couldn't help it - what if Kurt _was_ dying? He'd never heard of _anything_ like this happening – but then, before Kurt got pregnant, he'd never known that men _could..._

Blaine shook his head. His thoughts were a mess – he couldn't concentrate long enough to make sense of them. Finally he managed to focus his thoughts on two things – Kurt, and Baby.

He _had _to make sure they were both safe and okay – but he was doing a pretty lousy job. He didn't even know where either one was. Wiping his eyes on his sleeve, and giving Burt a firm nod, he stood up and sucked in a deep breath.

"Carole would've taken her to the nursery." Burt informed him, and Blaine nodded with silent thanks, leaving the older man to dwell on his own thoughts.

He practically raced to the paediatric ward, slowly making his way through the rows of age groups until he found the babies – finding Carole feeding her in a chair.

"Blaine." She cooed. "Someone misses you."

Blaine swallowed hard and she placed her in his arms.

"Are you okay?"

Blaine took another seat and held the bottle to her lips, watching as she greedily sucked the liquid from the bottle. He had to take a minute to compose himself before replying.

"No." He managed, tears starting to build up behind his eyes. "I _can't_ lose him Carole. I can't. I can't live without him. Can't breathe. Can't function. Kurt's...he's _so_ special...you wouldn't believe how much he can just...how much he just _has_ made my life perfection." He was blubbing, mindlessly gushing his insecurities. "Please...please tell me he's going to be fine...because...I just...I don't know what I'd do..."

Carole pulled him into a huge hug – baby and all – and just held him as he cried. She couldn't do much more. She'd hunted down doctors and nurses to find out more, but nobody could tell her anything – even if they wanted to. Kurt was in the ER, and that's all that anyone knew.

Blaine's shoulders shook violently and his sobs almost echoed in the small nursery – thankfully empty. Carole kept him close, rocking him at times and trying to provide the support that he needed.

Finally, they subsided to small snuffles, and Carole held him at arms' length.

"You need to go back to Burt. They'll come looking for you as soon as they get news. Okay?"

Blaine nodded, looking down at Baby, who had remained silent. "Can I take her? Please?"

Carole nodded. "I'll come get her in a few hours. She'll need feeding again and a nap."

Blaine just nodded – concentrating on the fact that _yes, _Baby was okay and fine and there with him. He started back to Burt, cradling Baby protectively.

^.^

When he arrived, Burt had his head in his hands, and Blaine felt a pang of guilt. Burt must be just as worried as Blaine was, and Blaine was an ungrateful mess, while Burt was this strong pillar of reassurance.

"Would you like to hold her?" Blaine asked softly, making Burt jump in surprise.

Burt looked up at him, his eyes red and puffy, but he quickly wiped them and nodded. Blaine carefully placed his baby in Burt's arms, trying not to hover. Burt stared down at her, tracing her small features with his finger.

"She looks..." he said softly. "She's got Kurt's eyes...and your hair."

Blaine smiled slightly, realising that he hadn't really taken the time to look at her.

"Your darker skin tone too, it seems." Burt muttered, almost to himself. "Has she got a name?"

Blaine chuckled. "Not exactly. Kurt wants to name her Hepsibah but..."

Burt raised an eyebrow. "Hepsibah?"

"He was a little drugged, at the time." Burt nodded in understanding, letting out a small chuckle.

Blaine planted himself beside the older man, resting back against the wall and letting out a long breath.

"Are you fairing?"

Blaine nodded, sighing. "It's tough."

"I know. But he's strong. He'll make it."

"Yeah."

^.^

Hours later, Blaine had forced Burt and Carole to go back home. There was no news, but they had lives, and jobs, despite the fact that Kurt was in hospital. Honestly, he just didn't want to break down in front of them again.

He sat with Baby against his chest, waiting for _anything_, and finally his prayers were answered. A young nurse gave him a small smile and approached him, sitting next to him.

"You're Blaine Anderson?"

He nodded, hoping that this might be the call that Kurt was okay.

"Your Kurt – Kurt Hummel – he's been in the OR for quite some time now, as you know." Blaine nodded impatiently. "And he's now far more stable than he has been in the past hour or so. We can offer for you to watch the end of the operation – if you want – from a viewing area above the room."

Blaine started to nod long before she finished talking. "Yes. Yes please."

She nodded and smiled slightly. "Would you like someone to take your daughter...?"

Blaine cradled her protectively. "No. She can...she can come in with me."

The nurse nodded and led him through the hospital to the OR, climbing the stairs to the view space.

"Did you want me to get a bassinette for her?" she offered. Blaine nodded, and she continued quietly, not wanting to leave him on his own. "Do you need anyone with you?"

Blaine swallowed hard and shook his head, trying to prepare himself for what he was about to witness. The nurse simply nodded and left him to open the door for himself.

Taking another long breath in, he let it out slowly and opened the door, and then he could see _him_ – lying there and being there and completely unconscious. Blaine wanted to hold his hand, wanted to touch him and comfort him and speak the words that Kurt needed to hear.

But Kurt was unconscious. And Kurt couldn't hear him, even if he tried. He placed Baby in the bassinette at his side when the nurse brought it in, the little girl asleep and safe and not in any harm – oblivious to what her daddy was going through.

Blaine could only watch – one hand on the bassinette, the other pressed up to the glass, his mouth parted slightly as he watched them work over Kurt. He didn't know what they were doing – he didn't care.

He just wanted Kurt back in his arms, laughing and playing with their baby and not in _any _danger. But the doctors knew what they were doing, and Kurt _would_ be with him soon.

He would.

Blaine stood there for over two hours, his gaze switching from Kurt's lifeless, pale face, to the doctor's hands – working steadily with a range of utensils Blaine couldn't remember the names of. He didn't care. Sometimes the hands worked more urgently, fiddling and moving and checking things, as if something was going wrong. Blaine was always far more tense in those brief moments, fearing the worst.

And then the worst happened.

A loud beeping – one that echoed even through the view space – made each person in the operating theatre pause, before a long stream of curses that even Blaine could hear made his heart drop further than he'd ever felt it.

There seemed to suddenly be an overdose of blood and it gushed out of Kurt, spilling over the sides and onto the floor and practically spurting like a fountain. Blaine couldn't move. He was frozen, and he could feel the tension radiating from the room as the doctors ran – _ran_ – for different options.

Someone else cursed – loud and long – and the beeping stopped, turning into one long, loud line of sound.

Blaine could swear his heart wasn't even in his body anymore. His whole gut flopped and he needed to throw up but he couldn't move.

Kurt flat lined.

_Flat lined._

His heart had stopped beating – completely and utterly, and Kurt Hummel was dead.

"KURT!" Blaine launched himself at the screen, pounding himself against it as tears spilled relentlessly from his eyes.

He threw himself against it, pummelling and hitting it and kicking it until his fists were turning red.

"No. No! No! No. NO!" Blaine repeated the word over and over until it became nothing more than a babble, but it was met by a whimper.

He ignored Baby, his thoughts only on Kurt, and the fact that his boyfriend was lying dead on the table no more than a metre or two away from him – and there was nothing he could do about it – and no way to get to him.

He smashed his fists against the screen one more time with a cry of many things – grief, depression, anger, panic and complete frustration, before he let himself slide down the screen, sobbing into the plastic.

His sobs echoed through the room, eyes tightly shut as his brain shut down. His legs curled up beneath him, arms folding across his chest and he literally mimicked the foetal position, sobs wracking his body and shutting out the cries of his baby.

He was so upset, he couldn't even hear the steady beeping of the heart monitor.

Finally, the shrieking wails of the baby got to him, and he had to stand up – had to protect her and keep her safe and make sure she was _always _happy – because that's what Kurt would've wanted.

His sobs didn't calm – but he managed to pick her up and hold her close, crying into her chest and nuzzling her gently.

"Hepsibah." He gulped, barely managing to squeak out her name. "It's...it's what he wanted."

He paced the tiny room, determinedly refusing to look out the window, rocking her until she calmed down, finally stopping her crying. Blaine's tears ran out around the same time – he was no less sad, he just couldn't cry anymore, not wanting to upset Hepsibah again, _knowing_ how upset Kurt would be if he could see them.

Blaine had his back to the window when he finally registered the steady beating of the heart monitor.

_Beating._


	8. Just To Have Her

When his eyes fluttered open for the first time in a week, Kurt was confused. The room was bright and white and seemed to scream at him – the bedsheets were too clean and it took him a while to realise one vital thing – _this wasn't his room._

Slowly – _slowly _– other things began to come into focus – the way his stomach and head throbbed in perfect unison, the way his skin tingled, and finally, his memory started to float back.

Baby.

His hands flew to his stomach – the muscles already screaming after not being used for so long, and he encountered his almost flat stomach. Flat… Kurt couldn't….why was it flat? He…didn't he have a…

The truth dawned on him slowly – he began to piece together the vital information. Hospital, the pain, the flat stomach…

He'd lost him.

His mouth parted slowly, and tears built in his eyes as he stared at his stomach. He was gone. This…part of him, one he'd rejected and hated and had come to love and was _so_ attached to was _gone_ and he didn't even get to meet him. Didn't even get to say goodbye.

He tore his eyes away as the tears overflowed and he let out a sob, his eyes falling on the only other inhabitant in the room.

"Blaine." He choked out, unable to move.

His boyfriend was asleep – his head on his knees as he curled on the chair, which was _far_ too small to be comfortable.

"Blaine." He managed louder, followed by another sob and suddenly Blaine was awake, his eyes snapping open and widening.

"Kurt. Oh my god…Kurt!" Blaine launched at him, stopping short and carefully climbing onto the bed to carefully wrap him into a hug.

Kurt could only cry, gently scrabbling at Blaine's back and sobbing into his shirt. Blaine held him close, pressing insistent little kisses all over his face, until Kurt realised that Blaine was crying too. It only made Kurt cry more – knowing that everything was true and they'd lost their baby.

Finally, after what seemed like hours of crying and hugging, Blaine pulled back, and Kurt was surprised to see the wide grin on his face, accepting another kiss from Blaine.

"I'm…I'm so glad you're awake." Blaine whispered, taking his hand and stroking it – needing the physical contact to remind him that Kurt was really awake and there and not unconscious anymore.

Kurt closed his eyes and more tears fell, making Blaine frown.

"Babe, are you okay? Are you in pain?"

Kurt moved to sit up properly, but Blaine's firm hand on his shoulder stopped him completely, and he allowed himself to be pushed back down.

"I'm sorry." Kurt whispered.

Blaine raised an eyebrow, kissing the pad of Kurt's thumb gently. "What for?"

"Everything." His voice was almost inaudible, scratchy and pained from crying. "For not looking after him properly. For…for losing him."

Blaine blinked once – twice – before the news registered, and his face lit up.

"Oh Kurt. C'mere." Blaine pulled him gently into his arms, and Kurt burst into a fresh round of tears. "You didn't lose him."

Kurt shook his head. "I was the one carrying him. I should've-"

"Kurt." Blaine said firmly. "You didn't lose him."

Kurt frowned, and Blaine kissed him gently, wiping the stray tears from his cheeks. "What was the last thing you remember?"

Kurt swallowed hard. "I was at home…and then…" he shook his head. "Nothing. I don't remember anything…just…going for a nap…"

Blaine bit his lip – Kurt was missing a week and a half – almost two - from his life. It had been the worst week of Blaine's life – he had barely left the hospital – he'd been living off the canteen food and his neck and back ached from his sleeping positions, but there was no way he could leave Kurt's side. Not now. Not ever.

Burt and Carole had insisted he go home, but he always managed to sneak back in after they left. Every time he even _thought_ about leaving Kurt and Hepsibah, tears sprang to his eyes. What if something happened to Kurt – what if he risked not being around for his final moments?

Kurt's life had been a ticking time-bomb for the past week – but the fact that he was awake…it ignited hope in Blaine's chest.

"Kurt…can you stay here for a little while…on your own…?"

Kurt's eyes filled with tears and he shook his head. "Please…please stay with me."

Blaine's heart broke a little – he could only imagine Kurt was feeling the same way Blaine had felt, watching Kurt die on the operating table.

But Kurt needed to see Hepsibah – he needed to see her or he wouldn't be okay.

Blaine made his decision and crawled into the bed next to Kurt, being extra careful not to jar him or jolt him or move him. He carefully wrapped his arms around Kurt and rested his lips against his temple.

"Try and get some sleep." Blaine said softly, and Kurt nodded, shifting only slightly as he snuggled into Blaine.

^.^

It took close to an hour – a lot of the time Kurt would burst into tears and cry – not convinced that his baby was okay. Blaine couldn't reassure him – he needed to _see_ to believe, but Blaine soothed him, reminding him that he hadn't lost 'him'. Finally, Kurt was sleeping, and Blaine managed to sneak away.

He hurriedly made his way to paediatrics, where he found Hepsibah sleeping in her cot.

Scooping her up gently, he smiled as she settled herself easily into his arms. Waving at the nurse, he hurried back out of the room - Kurt probably wouldn't stay asleep for long.

"Come on Baby." Blaine whispered, still grinning. "It's time you met your other daddy properly."

Kurt was awake when Blaine walked through the door, hands anxiously fisted in his sheets. When he saw Blaine, he relaxed - then he spotted the baby.

"Blaine? Did you kidnap a baby?"

"No." Blaine laughed, walking back across the room to his chair.

"Then... who's she? She can't be _our_ baby... _Our_ baby was a boy... wasn't he?" Kurt asked in confusion, playing with the material of the sheets to distract himself from his urge to reach out and take her.

"Kurt, she's _ours_." Kurt shook his head slightly, not quite able to believe it. "Look at that Hepsibah, Daddy doesn't believe us." Blaine cooed softly, gently stroking the baby's face.

"...you named her without me?"

"No, Kurt, I - "

"You named her _Hepsibah? _I don't know which is worse!"

Blaine laughed again, leaning forward to kiss Kurt's cheek.

"Well, technically _you_ named her..."

"No I didn't." Kurt denied. "I don't remember that at all." he added softly, frowning. Blaine saw his confusion, pulling out his phone and opening the picture he'd taken, handing it to Kurt.

Kurt's eyes softened.

"She's really mine?"

Blaine smiled gently.

"Why don't you see for yourself?"

Kurt bit his lip shyly, before holding his arms out. Blaine carefully placed her in his arms, and he sucked in a deep breath, swallowing hard.

"She's…she came from me?" He whispered, and Blaine nodded, watching them both fondly. "I didn't lose her."

Blaine smiled and perched himself on the end of the bed.

"Blaine…" Kurt asked softly, touching her face gently. "What happened?"

Blaine swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry. "What?"

"I was out for a week…."

Blaine closed his eyes. "Please Kurt…not yet."

"What?"

"Just…ask later, okay. When you're out of the hospital…and better."

Kurt swallowed hard and nodded, fearing the worst. He busied himself with his little girl, trying to forget the stricken look on Blaine's face.

"She needs a name." Kurt said softly, playing with her little fingers. "Because Hepsibah is not suitable. Never listen to me when I'm dopey, okay?"

Blaine laughed, blinking back the tears that were threatening to overflow.

"I _did_ try to change your mind." Blaine said softly, crawling up the bed to nestle at Kurt's side. "I suggested Rose."

"Rose is nice." Kurt agreed absently, lifting Baby up to kiss her forehead. "For a middle name." Blaine smiled, kissing at Kurt's temple, wrapping an arm around Kurt's shoulder.

Kurt leant into him absently, gently stroking the fine hair on Baby's head.

"I like Madeline. Madeline Rose."

"Madeline Rose Hummel-Anderson." Blaine repeated with a fond grin. "I like it."

Madeline gave a tiny gurgle, and Blaine and Kurt grinned at each other.

"I think she likes it too."


	9. Even So

"I wish you'd let _me_ hold her." Blaine murmered sleepily.

He was stretched out at Kurt's side, a possessive arm draped carefully across his stomach, a leg thrown over both of Kurt's. He nuzzled his face against Kurt's shoulder, gently caressing Madeline's hand before tucking his own back under the covers.

Kurt laughed, dropping a kiss on her head.

"I'm her daddy too." Blaine pouted. "You have to share her."

"But I don't want to." Kurt told him, sounding shocked that it was even an issue.

"Too bad." Blaine laughed, looking at the clock on the wall. "Burt and Carole will be here soon."

"My dad's coming?" Kurt asked, turning shocked eyes on his boyfriend.

"They've been visiting every single day." Blaine said gently, sitting up properly. "Can I please hold Hepsi- _Madeline_ –" he corrected himself at Kurt's glare, "-before they get here?"

"Her name is _not_ Hepsibah, Blaine." Kurt said crankily.

"I know." Blaine said placidly, kissing his cheek. "Her name is Madeline Rose Hummel-Anderson. I was there when we named her, remember?" He said, reeling her name off his tongue easily, practiced from how many times he'd repeated it to assure Kurt that he _did_ know their daughter's name.

Kurt heaved a sigh and handed her over reluctantly, nestling back comfortably against the pillows. He smiled fondly as Blaine happily rocked Madeline.

"She's so little." Blaine grinned, touching his nose to hers.

Kurt grinned and curled up, wincing slightly.

Blaine froze. "Kurt, are you okay?"

Kurt smiled slightly. "Relax…I just had to move."

"Did you tear anything? Are you bleeding?"

"Blaine…"

"Should I call a nurse?"

Kurt frowned. "Blaine stop."

He took a breath. "What?"

"I'm being careful, okay? I can feel how much pain I'm going to be in…I know what I'm doing."

Blaine let out a relieved sigh, closing his eyes and rocking Madeline again. "I just worry…"

Kurt grinned and tilted his face – a prompt for Blaine to kiss him. "I know. And I love you for it."

Blaine laughed and kissed his cheek. "I love you too."

A hesitant knock came at the door.

"Blaine? Are you awake?" Carole asked softly, pushing the door open. "Is Hepsibah in here with you?" she questioned further, stepping into the room.

Blaine darted a glance at Kurt.

He had his arms folded across his chest, quietly fuming.

"Kurt!" Carole cried happily, spotting him. "You're awake?"

She came forward for a hug, Burt following her, a relieved smile on his face.

"Blaine, why didn't you tell us? You were supposed to ring as _soon_ as he woke up!" Carole berated, turning her attention to Blaine, scowling at him. Kurt grinned, holding his arms out for the baby.

Blaine handed her over after he kissed her nose, smiling up at Carole.

"But he only woke up a couple of hours ago, and I _knew _you were coming... I thought it'd be a nice surprise." Blaine said pleadingly, and Carole's face broke into a smile, leaning forward to kiss the top of his head, letting Blaine know he'd been forgiven.

"May I hold my granddaughter?" Carole asked, holding her arms out to Kurt.

Blaine smiled at the expression on Kurt's face, moving to whisper in his ear.

"You do have to _share_ her you know."

Kurt gave her up with a pout, and Blaine kissed him gently in reassurance. Tired again, Kurt nuzzled into Blaine's side, shifting slowly until he was comfortable, and settling where he could see his baby.

Burt had settled into a chair at the side of the bed, switching between watching Carole with the baby and watching Kurt.

"Can I hold Hepsibah?" he asked finally.

"Her name is _not_ Hepsibah." Kurt snapped, whipping his head around to glare at Blaine. "Her _name_ is Madeline Rose."

Carole smiled, placing Madeline into Burt's arms.

"That's a pretty name." She said soothingly, and Kurt dropped his head back onto Blaine's shoulder.

"I hate you all." He whispered, his eyes closing.

Carole and Burt exchanged a small smile, watching as he yawned.

"I think that's our cue to leave."

"You only just got here." Kurt mumbled sleepily and they laughed.

"We'll be back tomorrow, we've got errands to run and we were just checking in..." Burt assured him, placing Madeline back into Blaine's arms before turning to leave. "Besides...Finn and Rachel should be here soon."

"They followed us but...Finn got hungry."

"Say no more." Blaine laughed,

"Mm...goodbye..." Kurt whispered and Carole laughed, giving all three of them a kiss before following Burt out the door.

Kurt sank lower on the bed, his head resting on Blaine's stomach as he slowly drifted into sleep. Blaine stroked his hair gently, bouncing Hepsibah slowly as she whined, settling her back into a drowsy half-awake state.

Rachel and Finn didn't arrive for another hour, and by then, Blaine had almost completely tuned out.

When Rachel bounced through the door, Blaine almost dropped Hepsibah as he jerked back to being fully awake.

"Blaine, are you awake?" she whispered loudly. Blaine sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Yes?" he replied, laughing slightly as she hugged him. The movement must have disturbed Kurt, causing him to mumble slightly as he opened his eyes, glaring at Rachel.

Rachel's eyes widened.

"Finn, he's awake! Blaine, Kurt's awake! Kurt, you're awake!" she babbled.

Kurt smiled, pulling himself slowly back up until he was upright, leaning against the pillows.

"Yeah...he's been awake since this morning." Blaine grinned and Rachel's mouth fell open.

"Hi Rachel, Finn." Kurt nodded, leaning a little against Blaine.

"I just saw the most gorgeous babies." Rachel told him, settling into the chair beside the bed. "None quite as beautiful as little Hepsibah, but –"

"Her name is _not_ Hepsibah!" Kurt growled exasperatedly.

Finn finally stopped hovering in the doorway.

"Yes it is." He said in confusion. "Blaine told us..."

"Her name is Madeline Rose." Kurt said, ignoring Blaine's quiet snickers as he took Madeline out of his arms. "Daddy is never, _ever_, going to be left alone with you again, okay? I _promise._" Kurt whispered, kissing her forehead.

Rachel smiled at them.

"Kurt! I bought you and Hepsi-Madeline a present!" she told him in an attempt to change the topic, stuttering over the name.

Kurt scowled at her.

"Madeline! I bought you and _Madeline_ a present." She cleared it up, and Kurt's frown softened. _Slightly. _

"Presents?" Kurt questioned, and Rachel smiled again, digging through her bag.

Finding the presents, Rachel pulled them out, setting them gently in Kurt's lap, holding her arms out expectantly.

Sighing, Kurt kissed Madeline's head, passing her over and watching with a slight smile as Rachel cradled her to her chest, cooing softly and stroking Madeline's nose with the tip of her finger.

Blaine coughed slightly, bring Kurt's attention back to the present on his lap.

Kurt opened it slowly, pulling the outfit inside out and holding it up.

"Oh, it's adorable!" he sighed, already imagining Madeline in the dress.

"There's more." Blaine said softly, picking up the rest of the parcel that Kurt had dropped into his lap.

There was a baby monitor set and a gift certificate for a store, and they looked up at Rachel and Finn with wide eyes.

"We knew it was tough, trying to get all the stuff for little...Madeline...as low income teenagers..." Rachel said with a small smile. "So this is our contribution – as aunt and uncle of your baby."

"Rachel...this is...this is fantastic." Blaine gushed. "Thank you so much."

Kurt was beaming, shaking his head. "It's perfect. Thank you."

"And you don't need to worry about clothes!" Rachel grinned. "I dibs buying her all the cute little outfits."

Kurt laughed. "You know you don't have to..."

Finn shook his head. "Yeah we do. It's like, aunt and uncle duties."

Kurt smiled at him.

"Thank you. It's too much, but thank you."

Finn laughed, changing the subject.

"So, how does this work? Are you both daddy, or what?"

Kurt and Blaine's eyes widened and they looked at each other, stunned.

"We...We hadn't thought of that..." Blaine said hesitantly.

"I've never imagined being called anything _but_ daddy..." Kurt added.

Rachel giggled. "It's simple. You're Daddy Kurt and you're Daddy Blaine..."

Blaine wrinkled his nose. "Yeah...but what happens when she's older? Dad Blaine doesn't sound any good...and she wouldn't call us 'daddy' in front of her friends."

"Why can't she just call you Kurt and Blaine when she's older?" Rachel asked

"...I don't want her calling us our names...that's...weird..." Kurt said softly.

"She could always call you Momma?" Finn suggested, but death glares from all three of them sent him quiet again.

"Well, maybe you'd both just be dad then?" Rachel suggested. "And she could use Kurt dad and Blaine dad to differentiate?"

"Maybe..." Kurt said, eyes fixing back on Madeline. "We'll have to think about it."

Madeline started whining then, a low, hard to ignore sound, and Blaine checked the time.

"Sorry Rachel, it's time for her feed." He said, hopping up off the bed and holding his arms out for his daughter.

Rachel pouted.

"Can't _I_ feed her?"

Blaine laughed, smoothing a hand over Madeline's head.

"You probably could, but I have to take her back to the nursery to get another bottle." He explained. "And the nurses there will want to give her _another_ check up, to make sure she's still okay."

Rachel sighed, giving Madeline up without another argument.

"How long will you be?"

"Probably about an hour?"

Kurt nodded his agreement, stretching slowly now that he had the bed to himself.

Rachel sighed, glancing at the time.

"We can stay, if you'd like?" she offered Kurt as Blaine left the room.

Blaine hummed as he hurried through the hallways, cuddling Hepsibah into his chest, patting at her back to sooth her as she made desperate-sounding whimpers.

"Shh Hepsibah, almost there."

He rounded the corner into the nursery, where a female nurse greeted them warmly.

"And I was just about to send out a search party." She teased, passing Blaine a bottle. He took it gratefully, taking his usual seat near the window as Hepsibah started drinking greedily.

^.^

When Blaine arrived back at Kurt's room with Hepsibah, Rachel and Finn were gone, and Kurt was fast asleep. Blaine smiled slightly and squeezed in next to him – despite the fact he was sprawled pretty much over the entire single mattress. Dinner would be soon – Blaine knew he wouldn't be sleeping long, but spending the short amount of time pressed against Kurt, even while he was sleeping, was far too hard to resist.

He'd almost lost Kurt once...any time with him was always precious.

^.^

The next morning, a nurse entered the room _far_ too early for Kurt and Blaine, despite it being nine a.m.

They blinked awake sleepily and she stifled a laugh, apologising.

"We've got some matters to attend to." She said in explanation, and Blaine fisted his eyes, yawning slightly. "Is this a bad time?"

"Nope..." Kurt yawned, and Blaine helped him sit up.

She perched at the end of his bed with a small smile.

"We need to talk about how long you're going to be here, and how it's going to be managed financially."

Kurt paled. "I..."

She shook her head, her hands going out to him. "Because you're male, and this situation isn't heard about very often, it's being taken care of by private funding – also because you're so young. You'll be here for possibly two more weeks, depending on how quickly your recovery time is. Madeline, on the other hand, is more of a problem."

Blaine frowned. "What do you mean, problem?"

"Well, it's a problem that's easily fixed, we just need your approval and signature. We don't have enough room to keep her in the nursery for as long as you'll be staying, so while we keep you in the maternity ward, we need to ask you to keep her in here as well...I mean, that is, if Blaine doesn't plan on going home anytime soon." She teased.

Blaine laughed. "I'm definitely staying."

"Right." She laughed, glancing over to the pile of Blaine's stuff – including his guitar and a few bags of clothes. "So she'll be alright to sleep here?"

Blaine and Kurt nodded in unison and she handed over two contracts, to which they signed happily.

"Alright, all sorted. You'll still be able to get her bottles from the nursery, but we strongly urge you to start getting her some store bought bottles and powdered milk to get her used to the brand you choose."

Blaine and Kurt nodded with identical grins.

"Everything seems sorted, I'll leave you to napping." She grinned, and Blaine shook his head, getting up.

"I'm gonna go get our baby." He grinned and the nurse laughed.

"Oh, and Kurt, your physio starts on Monday – your stitches should be healed enough, and we want you walking like normal by the end of the week!"

Kurt gave a little groan. "It's going to hurt...so much..."

"No pain no gain, right Blaine?" she grinned.

Blaine had paused in the doorway. "Hm, I think my boyfriend's been through enough pain, thanks very much."

She smirked. "It was worth it though, right?"

Blaine and Kurt grinned, sharing a special glance.

"Completely."


	10. Look We Know It's Not Reality

_**A/N: Oh wow. Okay. I probably should've explained this earlier. Guys, this is my story. Click my username - go into 'A Collection of Klaine', go to Chapter 151. See. My story. I'm just transferring it to an actual story, instead of inside A Collection of Klaine. It's also on Scarves and Coffee under 'JeffnaBoots'. Once I've finished uploading it here, I'll take it off of 'A Collection of Klaine'. Thank you guys for being concerned that someone was taking it, but it's all good.**_

* * *

Kurt snapped the third time that Blaine sat upright, dumping him onto the bed and listening intently.

"Why can you _not_ stay still?" He demanded, glaring at Blaine.

Blaine froze, staring at him with wide eyes.

"Blaine, there is _nothing_ wrong with her. She's _just_ sleeping." Kurt sighed.

"But she was making noises." Blaine said sheepishly, and Kurt rolled his eyes.

"_Sleep_ noises Blaine."

"But-"

"Fine, whatever. I don't care anymore. But I swear, if you drop me onto the mattress one more time..." Kurt let his voice trail off, smiling at Blaine before gingerly lying down again, curling onto his side.

Blaine glanced at Hepsibah with wide eyes, before carefully lying down behind Kurt, cuddling up to his back.

"Sorry." He whispered, curling an arm around Kurt's waist, his fingers gently traced the scar. Kurt hissed at the feeling. "Is it still sore?" Blaine asked, moving his hand up Kurt's body to his stomach, where he couldn't hurt him.

"A little." Kurt admitted, rolling until he could see Blaine.

Holding his gaze, Blaine pulled his shirt up until the scar was exposed, leaning down to kiss it carefully, with barely any pressure.

"Sorry." He whispered again.

Kurt smiled sleepily, dragging a hand through Blaine's hair.

"I'll forgive you if you lie down and go to sleep." He bargained with a yawn.

Blaine smiled and cuddled into Kurt again. "You'd forgive me anyway. I _am_ the father of your baby."

"Our baby." Kurt grinned, wrapping his arms around Blaine before letting his eyes close.

^.^

Of course, that was not the last time Blaine woke up that night – he just managed to do it a lot quieter. By morning, he was sleep deprived and groggy, while Kurt was actually happy and ready to do physio.

"Blaine up. I want up."

Kurt hadn't left the bed in over two and a half weeks.

Blaine yawned. "I don't think that's safe."

Kurt wiggled, flicking his legs. "They move. I want up."

Blaine laughed, shaking his head. "I'll go talk to a nurse..."

Kurt suddenly froze. "Blaine...Madeline hasn't cried...is she...is she okay?"

Blaine smirked. "She's sleeping. I woke up and took her into the hallway at about five this morning...she's fine."

Kurt sighed in relief. "I thought I told you to go to sleep...?"

Blaine smirked. "Yeah. Like that was going to happen."

Kurt reached out to the cot with grabby hands, shooting a pleading look at Blaine. "Can I have her please?"

Blaine grinned and gently lifted her out of the cot without waking her, placing her in Kurt's arms. Kurt cooed happily and Blaine gave him a kiss before he headed out of the room.

Kurt ghosted his fingers over her fine, delicate features – her long lashes which were _so_ much like Blaine's, her strong cheekbones and her pointed chin. He smiled, his thumb suddenly trapped by her fingers.

Blaine was back a few minutes later with a nurse in tow – it was their regular – Jackie – and she beamed at Kurt, pushing a wheelchair.

"Time to get you walking!" she grinned.

Kurt looked a little conflicted. "Yay?" he frowned. "Blaine...I don't want you there."

"What?"

"I'm going to be in pain and you're not going to like it. And also, it's like that time we decided to join the gym together and then it got awkward..."

Blaine raised an eyebrow. "Kurt, I watched you go through nine months of carrying a baby. I've seen worse."

"Gee. Thanks. But seriously. You're not going to be in the same room when I'm struggling to walk because it feels like my insides are going to fall out of my stomach."

"Not to mention the fact that your muscles have probably seized up." Jackie responded helpfully.

"Exactly." Kurt nodded.

"Can I at least take Hepsibah?"

"Madeline." Kurt growled. "And no. She's my motivation."

Blaine looked at a loss. "So...what can I do for the next..."

"Five hours?" Jackie smiled.

Kurt paled. "Five hours?"

"Two hours of excercises. An hour long rest, and two hours of walking – plus meals and massage therapy, so you've probably got about six hours to play with."

"Ugh..." Kurt muttered, and Blaine stroked his hand.

"What am I going to do?" Blaine asked again.

Kurt shrugged. "Go do everything you haven't been for the past two and a half weeks."

"While you decide, could you step out for a few minutes?" Jackie asked. "And take Madeline with you?"

"Why...?"

She bit her lip. "I've got to unhook him from some of the more...intimate...machines, as well as the normal ones."

Blaine's eyes widened and Kurt blushed. "Oh."

Kurt handed Madeline over without a fuss and Blaine sighed as he stepped out the door. "I'm going to take her to the nursery for a feed..."

"Good idea." Jackie nodded. "By the time you get back, I'll have Kurt in the wheelchair."

^.^

As promised, when Blaine walked back through the door, Kurt was sitting in the wheelchair. He looked uncomfortable and pained, but he was out of the bed.

Jackie looked proud and Blaine placed Hepsibah into Kurt's arms, who took her happily.

"Okay, I'll have him back in bed by around two, so you can come back then." Jackie said, and Blaine kissed Kurt gently.

"Good luck." He grinned, before kissing Hepsibah on the nose and stepping back.

"Thanks. Love you."

Jackie beamed and wheeled Kurt's chair out of the room and down the hallway, leaving Blaine alone in the room. He gave a small sigh and sat on the bed for a moment, before getting up again.

He was restless and already lonely.

So he made the bed – straightened the flowers and tidied their room for an hour, before his phone rang.

"Hello?"

"_Blaine!"_ Rachel's bouncy, happy voice made him grin.

"Hello Rachel."

"_How's Kurt?"_

"In physio..."

"_Ew...how long is he going to be there? Can we come over?"_

"Uhh...he'll be in there until two...and then he'll be sore and cranky...so I don't recommend it."

Rachel laughed. _"Fine. We'll come visit later."_

She hung up abruptly and Blaine sighed.

He might as well go home.

^.^

Blaine ended up back at the hospital four hours later, having already wandered around the house for a couple of hours before realising he missed the hospital. He'd stopped by the shops to get some formula for Hepsibah - like they'd been told to do, but now there was _nothing_ to do. He was lonely and sad and _bored._

So now, with an hour to go, he lay on Kurt's bed, stretched out fully and lazily moving around.

The door opening surprised him, and he sat up.

Kurt was being wheeled in, clutching Hepsibah and looking like absolute _shit._

"Kurt?"

He looked up, and gave a small sigh. Jackie gave him a sympathetic pat.

"It was a little too much for him today."

Blaine nodded in understanding and immediately took Hepsibah from him, placing her in the cot. Together, he and Jackie helped Kurt up from the wheelchair and into the bed. Immediately, he folded in on himself and clutched his stomach, curling away from them.

"Is he okay?" Blaine whispered.

Jackie nodded with a little sigh. "He's not in danger of ripping his stitches – we definitely tested that today – but he's in a bit of pain, from both the stiffness of his muscles and from the stitches. He'll be right though. He's just got to power through it."

Blaine nodded, biting his lip.

"Does Hepsibah help?"

"_Madeline!_" Kurt's mumbled response made him smile.

Jackie grinned and nodded. "A lot. He pushes himself for her."

Blaine smiled fondly and walked to her cot, brushing a gentle hand over her curls.

"I'll be back in the morning, same time, for another round of physio."

Kurt whimpered from the bed.

"Thanks...see you tomorrow."

Jackie nodded and left the room, and Blaine sighed.

"You okay?"

Kurt nodded feebly and curled more, sighing heavily.

"Do you want Madeline?"

"No." Kurt said, pulling the blanket's tighter around himself. "Please, just...no."

Blaine was a little taken aback. Kurt had _never_ turned down holding Hepsibah... Hesitantly, he tried one last time.

"Can I come onto the bed?"

Kurt nodded again and Blaine crawled on, gingerly fitting around him and pulling him into his arms.

"It hurt." Kurt said simply.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. And it wasn't just that. It was...I was powerless. I couldn't even get my own legs to hold me up. It's...scary..." he whispered, burying his face into Blaine's chest. "Not to mention it hurts."

Blaine pulled him closer, kissing his forehead. "Can you walk now though?"

"I'd rather not."

"How are you going to pee? They took the...thing...out..."

Kurt flushed crimson again. "I'll go to sleep and I won't need to go until morning...and by then, my legs will have stopped hurting. And anyway, I don't want to talk about this." He yawned, snuggling closer to Blaine. "Sleep now."

Blaine smiled and went quiet, gently stroking his hair until Kurt spoke again.

"What did you end up doing today?"

"Nothing."

"Seriously?"

Blaine nodded. "I went home, checked on the house, got bored and came back." He sighed, kissing the top of his head again. "I missed you."

Kurt smiled, half-lidded and drowsy. "Missed you too."

"Go to sleep."

"Okay."


	11. I Mean, Guys Like Us

"Carole?"

"_Blaine? Is Kurt okay?"_

"Yeah, he's fine. I was just wondering if you could do me a favour?"

"_Favour...what kind of favour...?"_

"Well." Blaine grinned. "He's been doing physio...and he's not coping well...I was wondering if you could come and help him through it? He needs some support and he won't let me come in."

There was a chuckle. _"When do you need me?"_

"In about an hour?" Blaine glanced at the wall clock.

"_Alright. I'll see you then."_

"Bye, thanks Carole."

Blaine hung up and grinned, rocking Hepsibah slightly as he paced outside Kurt's hospital room.

"You're actually getting kinda heavy." He told her, shifting her to one arm so he could shake out the other, swapping arms and repeating the procedure. "Do you reckon we should go back in yet?" he asked her idly, glancing at the door to Kurt's room.

Hepsibah cooed at him, and Blaine smiled, kissing her nose.

"Okay then." He agreed softly, pushing the door open quietly. "But you'd better not cry and wake him up, understood? He needs his sleep."

Blaine settled her against his shoulder as he crossed the room, holding her easily in place with one hand, using the other to tuck the blanket up over Kurt, kissing his cheek and pushing his hair back off his face. Checking the time with a sigh, Blaine sat in the chair next to the bed, resigned to waiting for Kurt to wake up.

^.^

Kurt woke up to the sound of Blaine and Carole's quiet voices, and Madeline's gurgles. He opened his eyes, smiling at the sight of Blaine gently patting Madeline's back, grinning as Carole gently stroked her face, cooing to her granddaughter.

Kurt's legs hurt, and he stretched them out without thinking – a _bad_ decision. His eyes opened wide as his body screamed at him and he moaned in pain, trying to curl into himself.

"Ow." He whimpered as Carole and Blaine turned worried eyes on him.

"Babe? You okay?" Blaine asked, letting Carole take Madeline as he reached toward Kurt.

"Hurts." Kurt whimpered. Carole stood, placing Madeline in her cot before leaning over Kurt.

"Where? Can you show me?" She prompted him gently.

"My legs... stomach." Kurt sighed, letting Carole's gentle hands move him until he was lying on his back. Carole's hands shifted to his calf muscle, feeling it gently as Blaine hovered nervously.

"Blaine, feel that?" Carole asked, placing Blaine's hands on Kurt's leg, so he could feel the tense muscle. "That's why he's in so much pain. His muscles are too tense to let him move properly."

Blaine's hands stilled where he'd been stroking Kurt's leg comfortingly.

"What can I do?"

"Try to massage the knots out." Carole instructed, picking Madeline back up as Blaine started kneading Kurt's legs.

Kurt sighed, and whimpered as Blaine gradually massaged the knots out of his legs, until he could finally move without pain.

As he finished, Jackie walked in, the wheelchair in front of her. "You ready Kurt?"

"No."

"Do you mind if I come with him today?" Carole asked as Blaine tried to negotiate with Kurt, kissing him and slowly moving him toward the edge of the bed.

"No, of course not!" Jackie smiled. "It might be helpful to have someone else there to help look after Madeline while Kurt's busy anyway."

Kurt huffed at that, crossing his arms across his chest as he settled into the wheel chair.

"Don't you _want_ to be able to walk?" Carole asked him. "What would happen if you couldn't run after Madeline?"

Kurt shook his head.

"I _want_ to walk, I _don't_ want the pain." He mumbled defensively. Blaine sighed, kissing him one last time before kissing Hepsibah's cheek.

"Good luck."

^.^

Blaine spent the day wandering the halls of the hospital aimlessly. By the time lunch came around, he still had two hours to kill, and he hadn't done a thing.

"Morning ladies." He approached the nurses' station.

"Afternoon Blaine." They all replied, smirking at each other.

"I'm bored." He pouted, leaning on the front of the station. "Do you guys need any help?"

One of the nurses laughed. "Waiting for Kurt, are you?"

Blaine nodded, dropping his lower lip even further.

"Do you want to do flower runs?" one asked and Blaine perked up.

"What are they?"

"You take the flower cart and replace the old flowers in each room."

"I can do that!" Blaine said brightly, and one of the nurses turned her head to hide her laughter.

"You'll have to run down to the main floor to get the cart – ask for the flowers for Maternity, and tell them that Maria sent you." One of the older nurses instructed. "The flowers should have room numbers on them, you just have to hurry, and make sure you finish before naptime, and I'm sure I don't have to remind you to be polite." She stressed, a little nervous.

Blaine grinned at her.

"Easy. I'll be back in about ten minutes – naptime starts at one doesn't it?"

Maria nodded and he grinned triumphantly, before thanking them and running down the hall.

^.^

It was ten minutes to one when Blaine finished his flower run, and he returned to the nurse's station with a smug grin.

"All done, and the flower cart is back where I found it."

"Thanks Blaine." One of the nurses said, looking up from her notes.

Blaine glanced at the clock again and sighed, slumping over the counter.

"I'm bored again."

"Already?" a different nurse teased. "You do realise you still have at least another week of this right?"

Blaine's eyes widened.

"Oh no." He said softly, dropping his head against the counter with a thud. "What am I going to _do_?" he whined.

"Paediatrics always needs extra help." One of the nurses suggested softly. "They never have enough people to make sure _all_ of the kids are happy and entertained."

"And you play guitar, don't you?" asked one shyly, peeking up at Blaine for an instant before returning to her work.

Blaine's eyes lit up. "Oh my god that is _perfect!_" he grinned. "Thank you!"

She nodded with a small smile, her eyes trained on her work.

"In the mean time...can I play to you guys?" he asked, and the nurses all looked at each other.

"That sounds like a pretty good idea. You can entertain us."

Blaine nodded eagerly and hurried back to their room, grabbing his guitar and swinging the strap around his neck before returning to them.

He'd been playing to them for quite a while when a little girl approached him. She was probably only three or four, an older sibling to one of the new babies in the ward, and Blaine grinned at her, glancing up at where a relative hovered in the door to a room.

"Hi."

"Hey." Blaine greeted.

She bit her lip, studying him.

"I have a new baby sister."

"Do you? What's her name?"

"Elizabeth... Do you play guitar?"

"Yes, why?"

She bit her lip again.

"Mommy asked who was making the pretty music, so i came out to see, and-" she hesitated. "Do you think you could come play for Mommy and Elizabeth?" she asked pleadingly.

Blaine glanced at her relative again.

"Only if it's okay with your Mommy." He told her, and the person gave him a nod, holding a hand out to the little girl.

"Come on Amanda, let's ask." He smiled at her when she grabbed his hand.

The nurses grinned at Blaine, and seconds later Amanda raced back.

"She said yes!"

Blaine grinned and stood up, swinging his guitar around and waving to the nurses, before following Amanda into the room. He crept in quietly, biting his lip and smiling slightly.

"Hello."

A young woman lay on the bed, a tiny baby - a little bigger than Hepsibah - in her arms. Amanda took her place on the edge of the bed.

"Hey there." Blaine grinned. "Congratulations."

"Thank you." she smiled. "And thank you for coming and playing for us."

"No worries." he laughed, taking a chair and setting himself up. "Anything in particular?"

Amanda raised her hand, and Blaine had to stifle a laugh.

"Yes?"

"Can you play Taylor Swift?"

Her mother smiled gently.

"I think I can manage something. Do you know 'Love Story?"

"That's my favourite!"

"Alright...feel free to sing along." Blaine grinned.

A few songs later, and Amanda was fast asleep, tucked against her mother's side, one hand clutching at Elizabeth's blanket.

"So, what brings you to the hospital?" Amanda's mother asked kindly. Blaine bit his lip, strumming quietly.

"My b...partner, just gave birth."

"Oh, congratulations! A boy or a girl?"

"A girl. Madeline Rose." Blaine grinned. "She's a bit smaller than your Elizabeth though."

"How old is she?"

"Almost three weeks."

She blinked in surprise.

"Forgive me for asking, but why are you still here?"

Blaine's eyes closed.

"There was a few.._issues_ with the labour. My partner ended up having a caesarean, and d-_died_ on the table... It was a bad week. He's in physio now, with Hepsibah, learning to walk again."

"Hepsibah?" she asked in confusion. "I thought you said her name was Madeline..?"

Blaine blushed.

"Her name _is_ Madeline, but Kurt kinda named her Hepsibah while he was a bit out of it on drugs, and then he was unconscious for a week, so I sort of got into the habit of calling her that. But then he woke up, and we named her properly, and he's almost always annoyed at me for using the wrong name." He explained in a rush.

She blinked a couple of times. "Kurt?"

Blaine's eyes widened and he mentally cursed himself. "Um. Uh...her parents...wanted a boy."

She nodded, frowning slightly.

Panicking slightly, Blaine glanced at the clock, and saw to his relief that it was just past two.

"It was lovely talking to you, but I should get going. They'll bring my partner back soon."

She smiled, waving as he quietly backed out of the room, almost running away as soon as the door shut behind him.

He got back to their room just as Kurt was being transferred from the wheelchair to the bed, unsteadily grabbing at the shoulders of the two nurses helping him and collapsing onto the bed with a sigh.

Blaine put his guitar on the ground, and beamed at Kurt.

"Hey...how'd it go today?"

Kurt managed a small smile. "I walked."

Blaine's smile grew. "You walked! Yay!"

Kurt laughed, leaning back against the pillows, and Blaine climbed onto the bed. They waved the nurses goodbye, before continuing their chat.

"So what did you get up to today?"

"Well...I wandered around the hospital...and then I talked to the nurses...I put new flowers in the rooms, and then I played for some woman!"

Blaine laughed at the expression on Kurt's face.

"She had this little kid, and she came out to get me to play for her mom and new baby sister." He explained, and Kurt's face cleared.

"Oh." He yawned, resting his head on Blaine's shoulder.

"Tired?" Blaine asked sympathetically.

"A little, but I don't want to sleep yet. I want to _do_ something. Can't we go outside or something?" Kurt whined, glancing longingly at the window.

Blaine bit his lip, hesitating.

"Madeline hasn't been outside yet. She's almost three weeks old, and she _still_ hasn't gone outside."


	12. Will A Girl Like Her

_**A/N: Light smut at the end of this one.**_

* * *

"Grass!" Blaine exclaimed. "Look Madeline! Grass!"

Kurt laughed happily, the little girl in his arms as Blaine picked a few blades, bringing them over and brushing them against the back of her hand.

Blaine grinned at Kurt, leaning down to kiss his cheek as he scooped Madeline out of his arms.

"Come on Maddy! Let's go look at the trees!" Blaine said happily, practically skipping away.

Kurt watched them go, tilting his head to the side.

"Maddy?" he mumbled to himself. "I kind of like it."

^.^

Kurt knew it was going to be a bad day even before he opened his eyes.

He was cold, and his head and stomach hurt, and Blaine wasn't curled up at his side. Sighing, he rolled over, nuzzling his face into his pillow and tugging the blankets up higher, determined to get at least a little more sleep - an attempt to make the day even a tiny bit better.

About half an hour later, Blaine crept back into the room, sleeping baby in his arms.

"Kurt?" he called softly, and Kurt mumbled drowsily. Blaine grinned, placing Madeline into her cot and leaning over Kurt.

"Kurt." He called again, kissing his nose. "Time to wake up."

"No, I don't want to." Kurt whined, tilting his face up with his eyes still shut. Blaine smiled, kissing him properly.

"You have to get up, you've got physio. You have to get better for Maddy, so we can finally take her home."

Kurt pouted.

"I know, I just-" he sighed. "I'm just tired, and it hurts, and I just want to go _home_." Kurt's voice broke on the last word and he wiped a hand angrily across his eyes.

Blaine tried to wrap him in a hug, and Kurt pulled away, burying himself back under his blanket. Blaine contented himself with rubbing his back, and eventually Kurt calmed down, emerging from his hiding place.

"Blaine?"

"Mm?"

"Today's going to be a bad day."

^.^

Kurt was unusually quiet as he got ready, crawling back into Blaine's lap for a last few minutes of comfort before Jackie arrived.

"Kurt...?" Blaine had tried to ask.

"Shh. No talking. Just cuddles." Kurt insisted, squeezing his eyes shut.

Blaine hugged Kurt tightly, burying his face in his hair and rubbing his back soothingly. Kurt had sighed, nuzzling closer still.

"Alright." Jackie said softly, breaking the quiet tranquillity of the room. "I hate to tear you away, but Carole's waiting."

Kurt grumbled quietly as he pulled away, allowing Blaine to claim one last kiss before wobbly seating himself in the wheelchair, accepting Madeline from Jackie.

"Bye." he said softly as Jackie wheeled him from the room.

When Kurt was gone, Blaine was hit by a sudden sense of loss, but dismissed it quickly. He bounced down to paediatrics, grinning at the nurses there.

"Hello! My name is Blaine Anderson-"

"Oh! You _are _good looking!" one of the older nurses exclaimed, and Blaine blushed. "We've heard lots about you from the nurses upstairs. Come to help out, have you?"

Blaine grinned. "I definitely have."

"The kids get quite bored here, because most of them are stuck inside all day, and we only have a limited number of resources."

Blaine nodded eagerly.

"What would you like me to do?"

"Entertain them." The nurse laughed. "We have five rooms, going from bored teenagers, to cranky toddlers and babies, and every age in between. Take your pick."

Blaine grinned, looking thoughtful.

"Mind if I wander between rooms?"

"Not at all. I'll go introduce you in each room, and say you'll be around to entertain them - play games and the like. There's always a nurse in each room, just ask them if you have any questions."

Blaine grinned again, bouncing slightly on his toes.

"Let's go."

^.^

In the first room, Blaine's attention was caught by a toddler in a crib. She was sitting in the corner, bored, and sulking, and Blaine couldn't help himself.

"Hi." He whispered, crouching next to the crib. "I'm Blaine. What's your name?"

"Seph."

"Seph?" Blaine asked, and she frowned, shaking her head.

"No, Seph!"

"Steph." The nurse corrected quietly. "Short for Stephanie. She gets to go home tomorrow, don't you sweetheart?"

Stephanie nodded eagerly, looking up at Blaine curiously.

"Up?" she asked innocently.

Blaine laughed.

"Can I? I mean, is she...?"

The nurse laughed, smiling at Blaine.

"Yes, you can take her out of the crib, just don't take her out of the ward."

Blaine grinned, pulling Stephanie out of her crib and setting her carefully on her feet.

"What do you want to do?" he asked. She smiled, taking his hand and tugging him across the room.

"Dollies!"

^.^

By the time Blaine started back to Kurt's room a couple of hours later, he'd coloured, played with play-doh, played dollies, trucks, and building blocks, not to mention numerous games of snakes and ladders, and read an uncountable number of books.

Kurt was already back by the time Blaine arrived.

"You're back early." Blaine grinned.

"Yeah." Kurt sighed, rolling over and hiding his face.

"Are you okay? Where's Madeline?"

"Carole's got her."

"Okay...What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Kurt..."

"Nothing's wrong Blaine! Leave me alone!"

Blaine bit his lip, crawling onto the bed. "Baby..."

"_Please_, just...piss off."

"No." Blaine crawled forward and Kurt turned over.

"Let me sulk, please!"

"Nope."

Blaine wrapped his arms around his boyfriend, despite his struggles.

"Talk to me?" Blaine whispered.

"No."

"Please?" Blaine asked, nuzzling the back of Kurt's head.

"I don't want to."

"Baby..."

"No. Stop talking. If you're not going to leave, _at least_ be quiet while I'm sulking."

Blaine frowned, rubbing his back gently. "Later then?"

"Maybe."

"Only maybe?"

"Blaine, drop it."

"But Kurt... You're not happy..."

"You think?" Kurt asked sarcastically.

"I don't like it when you're not happy. It makes me upset, and then everyone's upset."

Kurt sighed, rolling to face Blaine.

"Don't be sad, just..." He sighed. "Just shush, and stay there okay?" He instructed exasperatedly, burrowing into Blaine's chest. Blaine held him close, stroking Kurt's back as he felt him relax slowly.

"Are you ready to talk now?" Blaine asked about ten minutes later.

"No." Kurt sighed. "But I will."

Blaine waited patiently.

"I just... I just want to go home. I'm sick of all these people, and never having any privacy, and it feels like I never have any time to just relax with you and Maddy, and I _don't care_ that I can't even walk properly yet, I just want to _go home_."

Blaine nuzzled into his hair, holding Kurt close.

"I feel like Maddy isn't fully _mine_, because I'm always sharing her with the nurses, and my physio therapist, and I haven't had time for us to just be a family, you know?" Kurt sighed. "When can we go home?"

"I don't know baby, I don't know." Blaine murmered soothingly.

In a short second, it seemed that Kurt changed. He gave a small sigh, before leaning over to kiss Blaine insistently, rubbing himself against Blaine's side suggestively.

"Kurt." Blaine whined, sounding confused. "We-We can't do this here." He stammered.

"Yeah we can." Kurt breathed, slowly moving himself so he was straddling Blaine's hips sideways. "I need to."

"But...you're still sore, aren't you?"

"Not that sore. Come on. Please..." Kurt breathed, nipping at his ear. "Touch me."

"Kurt..." Blaine tried, groaning slightly as Kurt rutted against him, feeling how hard he was.

"Please..." Kurt practically begged, sucking at Blaine's neck, smirking at the hickeys he was creating.

"But... Kurt... What if someone walks in?"

"They won't." Kurt said firmly, kissing Blaine again. "Please Blaine? I _need_ this."

"Kurt..." Blaine whined, torn between moving closer to Kurt and trying to move away.

"Shush." Kurt told him. "If all you're going to do is complain, just shush and let me get myself off."

Blaine gaped at him.

"Seriously?"

"We haven't done this for nine months Blaine. I'm a little desperate."

Blaine snorted. "You were the one who didn't _want_ to do anything while you were pregnant."

Kurt shrugged, grinding up against him tightly. "Please?"

"You can't wait until we get home?"

Kurt whined exasperatedly. "That could be _weeks_."

Blaine sighed. He was fully hard now, and was finding it _really_ hard to resist.

"Come on Blaine." Kurt whined, worming his hand down the front of Blaine's pants. "You want this just as much as I do."

Blaine squirmed a little, before he let out a little sigh.

"Okay. But we have to...we have to make it quick."

Kurt grinned against Blaine's neck.

"Easy." He murmered, twisting his hand as he rutted against Blaine.

Blaine groaned and jerked his hips, earning a bite on the neck from Kurt.

"Can I like, fucking undo my pants?" Blaine groaned.

"If you think you can do them up quickly if someone comes in." Kurt grinned, working his hand further in as Blaine worked his button and zipper down.

"You want me to..." Blaine motioned towards Kurt's crotch, where he was still rutting against him desperately.

"_God_ yes." Kurt panted, and Blaine slipped his hand under the elastics of his pyjama pants, finding his cock where it was straining against the fabric and gripping it tightly. "_Holy fuck."_

"Miss it?" Blaine whispered.

"Miss_ed_ it." Kurt corrected, his eyes squeezing shut as their hands worked away at each other. "God, I missed it so bad."

"Keep it down." Blaine hissed, glancing nervously at the door. "What if someone hears?"

"Then they should know better than to interrupt." Kurt told him, pulling his face back. "And if you're that worried, hurry the fuck up." He groaned.

Blaine sighed, shaking his head as he swiped his thumb over the head, bucking up when Kurt mirrored his actions.

"We need to do this more..." Kurt whispered, and Blaine let out a breathless laugh.

"We have a daughter now."

"We have locks on our door." Kurt protested, squeezing around Blaine's cock tightly.

Blaine did the same, with a smirk. "She's going to interrupt us." Blaine groaned. "With her crying."

"We'll just have to wait until she's sleeping... Or let Rachel and Carole babysit lots..." Kurt said with an evil grin, thrusting up into Blaine's hand.

Blaine shuddered, and Kurt let out a little whine.

"You close?" Blaine changed the subject.

"Fuck yes." He whispered, attaching himself to Blaine's mouth.

Blaine bit down hard on his lower lip and Kurt was coming, spilling over Blaine's hand with a broken groan. Trying hard to concentrate, Kurt jerked his hand and Blaine was coming, and they both lay together, panting.

"Fuck." Blaine whispered, kissing Kurt's sweaty forehead.

"Ow..." Kurt muttered, and Blaine's eyes widened.

"Oh my god, are you-"

Kurt chuckled. "I was joking. I'm just a little...stiff."

Blaine let out a relieved breath, zipping up his pants and fixing the button.

"That's gross." Kurt chuckled. "How am I supposed to explain this to the nurses?"

Blaine laughed, cuddling him closer.

"Thank you." Kurt whispered. "That's just what I needed."

"Anything for you gorgeous."

They were silent for a little while, gently basking in the weird after-glow. Kurt let out a little yawn, resting his head on Blaine's chest. He was _incredibly _tired all of a sudden.

"My physio therapist is coming to talk to us later...around afternoon tea. She wants to talk to both of us about something. Maybe s_he'll_ know when I can go home."

"So she's coming at four?" Blaine questioned gently.

"Something like that." Kurt yawned again, his eyes half closed.

"Kurt, it's quarter to four."

"No it's not." Kurt disagreed, cuddling into Blaine. "It's not even three yet. Carole said she'd bring Hepsibah back at three."

"Hepsibah?" Blaine asked, trying not to laugh.

"Shh." Kurt said, already more than half asleep. "Don't laugh at our baby's name, that's not nice."

Blaine shook his head, letting Kurt fall asleep without interrupting him again.


	13. We Don't Want Charity

By the time Kurt's physio therapist came to talk to them, almost an hour later, Blaine had managed to change the sheets on the bed, sneaking them into a laundry chute and talking Kurt into taking a shower together.

They emerged, happy and giggling to find Carole waiting patiently in the chair next to the bed, a knowing smile on her face as she cooed to Madeline.

"Here you go precious, here's your daddies. You missed them didn't you?" she smiled. "We came by earlier but you two were _clearly_ busy."

Both boys blushed a violent scarlet, and Blaine hurried over to Carole's side, picking Madeline up out of her arms and cradling her to his chest.

"Hi princess! I missed you today!" he said immediately, trying to ignore Carole's words.

Kurt wobbled, sitting hurriedly on the side of bed. He wasn't very stable without someone's support, and he didn't particularly want to fall over again, especially not in front of Carole, and especially not when he was certain she knew what they'd been doing.

Carole stood, smiling at Blaine and dropping a kiss on Madeline's cheek before hugging Kurt around the shoulders.

"I should get going now, Burt will be expecting me." She excused herself quickly, trying to get away from the awkward tension of the room, picking her handbag up and waving as she hurried out of the room.

Blaine kissed Madeline's forehead, breathing in the smell of baby powder and trying to change the topic before Kurt started on Carole hearing or seeing them.

"Carole must have bathed her this afternoon." He told Kurt. "She smells all pretty and fresh."

Kurt raised an eyebrow, settling himself back against his pillows.

"When does she normally have her bath?" he asked, hating the fact that he had to ask, that he didn't even know that about his own daughter.

"In the afternoon, while you're sleeping." Blaine replied, blushing a little.

Kurt pouted a little.

"I haven't bathed her yet." He told Blaine quietly, holding his arms out for her and cradling her close with faint relief. "Or changed her nappy, or even dressed her. I've barely done anything for you except feed you when you're hungry – and even then Daddy Blaine burps you, and most of the time rocks you off to sleep." He told Madeline, sighing as he looked up at Blaine. "I barely do anything for her at all."

Blaine settled at his side, stroking the backs of Madeline's hands.

"That doesn't really matter, and you know it. You're her daddy, and she loves you very much, even though she's too little to show it yet."

Kurt sighed. "You sure?"

Blaine grinned. "Of course I'm sure. She loves you."

Kurt smiled, leaning into his side a little before sighing as the physio therapist walked in, smiling at their little picture-perfect pose.

"Hi." She grinned. "Don't you guys look cute."

Kurt smiled back at her.

"Hi Barbara. This is my... Madeline's other dad."

"Hey Blaine. I've heard quite a bit about you actually." Barbara laughed at the worried expression on Blaine's face. "Nothing _too_ bad, I promise.

Blaine relaxed a little, nuzzling Kurt's shoulder.

"So, I'm just here to talk to you both about Kurt's progress." Barbara said conversationally, settling herself in the visitor chair. "You've been making pretty good progress for having been bed-bound for a couple of weeks, so if you keep pushing yourself, you should be walking properly by the end of the week."

"So..?" Kurt asked hesitantly and Barbara smiled again.

"As soon as we've got you walking, you can go home, but you'll have to come back every week day for strengthening exercises and the like until we've built you back up to what you were at before this little one –" She reached out for Madeline, scooping her into her arms and bouncing her gently. "- decided to come along and ruin all that."

Kurt was frozen in place, looking at her hopefully.

"I...I can go home? On Friday?"

"If you keep pushing yourself, and can walk by then, yes." Barbara nodded, mentally checking things off of her list. "And I think that's everything!" she laughed, handing Madeline to Blaine as she stood, waving at Kurt. "I'll let you get some rest, I know how awful those exercises can make you feel."

"Then why do you make me do them?" Kurt asked, looking up at her as he leans back against the pillows.

Barbara laughed then, properly, grinning down at Kurt.

"You did say you wanted to be able to walk without it hurting." She reminded him. "This is the only way that's going to happen. Get a good night's sleep, and I'll see you in the morning."

"Bye." Kurt called softly as the door shut behind her. He turned to Blaine, taking Madeline out of his arms and settling her on his chest. "Don't you have something you want to do Blaine?" he asked calmly, petting Madeline's back as she grizzled slightly.

Blaine looked confused, a worried expression crossing over his face. Kurt noticed as he glanced up at him, and hurried to edit his words.

"No! Nothing like that. It's just... I don't think I've ever had a proper chance to just sit and cuddle with Madeline by myself... And I know that if I let you stay here you'll just distract me again... Plus I kind of _really_ do want some proper clothes, I'm getting sick of wearing my pyjama's everywhere, and the hospital washing powder smells funny." Kurt said pleadingly, cuddling into Blaine's side.

Blaine smirked.

"So you want me to go home and do some laundry? And bring you back clean clothes and pyjama's?"

"And maybe some of the stuff we bought for Madeline. Like the clothes? And that toy?" Kurt asked, making himself comfortable as Blaine slid of the bed, packing Kurt's hospital bag.

"Anything else?" Blaine teased, coming back over for one last hug before he left.

"Not that I can think of right now, but I'll text you if I remember anything." Kurt replied, sitting up carefully so Blaine could hug them both, a hand holding Madeline gently in place.

"Have fun." Blaine kissed Kurt, leaning down further to kiss Madeline's forehead.

Kurt made himself comfortable as Blaine left, smiling as Madeline shifted restlessly before settling down, peering up at him with curious eyes.

"Hi baby." Kurt whispered softly, tucking her blanket more securely around her. She stared up at him with her wide, blue eyes, her free hand flailing slightly.

Kurt caught it, smiling as she gripped his little finger tightly, her knuckles turning white with the effort.

"This is nice isn't it? We haven't had a lot of time for this – for cuddles without anyone else around."

Madeline gurgled, and Kurt laughed quietly, watching as she rubbed her face against his chest.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" he asked her, nuzzling her gently. "Enjoying not having everyone fussing over you? I am. I'm enjoying not having to share you, not even with daddy Blaine or Grandma Carole. For once, you're all mine."

She gave a little yawn, and Kurt almost melted at the sight of her little, toothless mouth.

"Tired, are you baby?" he cooed. "You get tired a lot. I don't blame you though. I do too."

She continued to watch him, her eyes drooping slightly, and Kurt smiled, stroking the fine hairs at the top of your head.

"You're going to grow up perfect, you know? With perfect skin, and beautiful eyes. You've already inherited Blaine's gorgeous hair...and I just...I _know_ that one day, maybe thirteen years from now...you're going to complain about it." he giggled softly. "I can't wait for you to grow up..."

Madeline's eyes finally drooped.

"It's going to be perfect."

^.^

Blaine arrived back at the hospital an hour and a half later - choosing to take the scenic route. He didn't mind Kurt's request - he was actually rather glad, because it was ten times better than the alternative. Kurt not loving Madeline was one of the worst things Blaine could imagine.

He chose to take the stairs and climbed them slowly, waving to the nurses as he went. Finally, he dawdled into Kurt's room - his backpack bulging with things for both Kurt and Madeline.

"Kurt?"

His boyfriend was asleep, as was Madeline - clutched close to his chest. Blaine grinned and kissed both of them on the head, before curling up at the end of the bed.

^.^

"Second last day, gorgeous." Blaine kissed the side of his face.

Kurt let out a groan of discomfort, cuddling up around Blaine.

"I don't want to."

Blaine grinned. "You say that every morning."

"It's because I don't want to, every morning." Kurt rolled over, and Blaine wrapped his arms around him.

"Madeline's going to be so sad if you don't get up this morning."

Kurt frowned, rolling back over so they were nose-to-nose. "I'll get up, I just don't want to go to physio."

Blaine kissed him, sitting up and stretching. "I know. But you have to."

"And I will. For you. And Madeline."

Blaine grinned, whipping around and kissing him again, before jumping out of the bed.

"You're spry this morning." Kurt noted with a sour face.

"I love you." Was all he replied with, before heading Madeline's cot.

She wasn't awake yet, her eyes still firmly shut, her little fingers curled around the blanket.

"I love _you_ too." He grinned, brushing his fingers gently over her forehead.

She stirred slightly, her mouth opening and closing once or twice.

"Blaine...?"

Blaine turned slightly, a fond grin on his face, to where Kurt was looking frustrated.

"Yeah babe?"

"My legs feel like jelly." He grinned. "Massage?"

Blaine smirked at him.

"You just want another massage don't you?"

Kurt smiled, stretching lazily.

"Yeah... And they really do feel like jelly. And I have to make some progress today, so I can go home tomorrow."

Blaine grinned excitedly. "Just think...we'll be bringing Maddy home...and she'll be sleeping in her own room – and..." he suddenly gasped with an excited bounce as he started massaging Kurt's legs. "We should hold a party!"

Kurt keened slightly, his whole leg shuddering as Blaine pressed a particularly tender pressure-point. "What?"

"A...a welcome-home party – for you and Madeline. That way we can introduce her to everyone...and get all the awkward out of the way quickly."

Kurt pouted a little.

"I kind of just wanted us to be alone for a little while... So we can settle Madeline in, and get used to there not being so many people..."

Blaine's hands paused on his leg, and he leant down to kiss Kurt gently.

"I know... But we need to tell everyone. What if we do it on Sunday afternoon? That way we have most of the weekend to ourselves, and we have an excuse to make them leave if you or Madeline start getting too tired."

Kurt seemed to consider this before nodding. "Fine. But you get to organise it. Maddy and I will sleep."

Blaine laughed, his hands working over Kurt's legs again. "Deal."

^.^

Kurt managed to pull himself out of bed that morning. He was wobbling, wincing and shaking, but he managed to stand on his own legs long enough to fall into a wheelchair. Blaine clapped and praised him appreciatively, which jerked Madeline awake.

Her distressed cries echoed throughout the room and Blaine quickly scooped her up as Carole walked in.

"Morning!" she said cheerfully, hugging Blaine and giving Kurt a kiss on the cheek.

"Morning Carole." They both replied as Blaine settled Madeline in Kurt's arms.

"We'll see you at two?" Kurt asked Blaine, and he grinned.

"Like always. Good luck today." Blaine kissed him gently, and Carole wheeled him out.

Grinning, Blaine grabbed his guitar and pulled the strap around his neck – eager to visit paediatrics again. He headed down the familiar corridors, waving at nurses as he went, before stepping into the brightly covered hallway.

"Blaine!" one of the nurses from yesterday greeted him warmly. "Back for more?"

"Couldn't help myself." Blaine grinned.

"You know the process. Good luck."

Blaine thanked her and decided to start from the oldest section first – the thirteen to eighteen year olds. The ward was huge – beds lined the walls in random intervals, and each bed could be curtained off. At the end of the room, a living room was set up with couches, a TV and a couple of gaming consoles. Glass walls showed the outside – a courtyard with grass and trees, with thick curtains pulled away to allow the light in.

Blaine looked around at these kids – but he really couldn't call them that. The eldest of these kids were still only a year younger than he was – but for some reason, they seemed younger – more withdrawn. Frightened and detached.

Blaine made his way down the room, silently watching. There were kids attached to monitors, some attached to drips, some with cannula's and some who didn't appear to have anything wrong. There were others with obvious diseases – those with shaved heads, and some with a multitude of broken bones. All of them were there for the same reason – they needed to get better.

Finally, Blaine reached the end of the room and planted himself on a couch, depositing his guitar on the floor.

"You play?"

Blaine turned and a sixteen year old boldly stood in front of him – he was one of the ones who didn't appear to be sick.

"Yeah." Blaine grinned. "You?"

"A little."

"Don't lie, Josh." An identical sibling appeared at his side, grinning happily as she poked 'Josh' in the side. "He took lessons for a couple of years. He's really good."

"That's awesome. Want to play?" Blaine offered his guitar, and Josh gave him a distrusting look, before biting his lip and taking the guitar by the neck.

"It's been a while." He said softly, but Blaine shrugged with a small smirk.

"If you're as good as your sister says you are, it'll come back. Do you sing too?"

He nodded a little, sitting on the edge of one of the couch arms before picking a little – getting familiar with it again.

Colouring slightly, he got up the nerve to play a little louder, glancing once at Blaine before opening his mouth and singing. His voice was strong – even when he just started – and Blaine listened with a wide grin on his face.

He _was_ good.

When he was done, a resounding clap echoed throughout the ward, and Josh was crimson.

"That was really, really good." Blaine grinned, taking the guitar back when Josh passed it over.

"Too bad those lessons were for nothing." He said quietly, and Blaine raised his eyebrows.

"What do you mean?"

"I stole the good parts from Mum and Dad." His twin had materialised again, somewhat sombre. "He got the shitty bits."

"Doctor says I won't make it till the end of the year."

Blaine's stomach went cold, his throat going dry. He swallowed hard.

"Isn't there something they can do?"

"There _would_ be, if this dickhead would agree to it." His twin muttered fondly.

"Wait...what?"

She sighed, and Josh glared at the floor. "Since I was three, I've been donating organs to Josh. Kidney, liver, marrow, blood...so much blood." That made him smile slightly. "But he needs a lung. I can give it to him...but he won't say yes."

Blaine paused, frowning in confusion. "Why not?"

He shrugged. "I've taken enough."

She shook her head, a small smile on her face. "You just don't want me to have any _more _blackmailing rights than I already do."

"You know it, Jem."

Blaine watched their playful banter, a little in shock. How could you not want to save your own life? Watching him closely, Blaine could see the signs of decay – the way his eyes were slightly sunken, the haggard breathing after just one song.

He was deteriorating fast, and he wasn't accepting help.

"Alright, I've got to go visit the other wards. I'll see you guys again some time?" Blaine grinned, desperate to get away.

Josh and Jemima nodded, bidding him farewell before returning to their conversation.

Blaine leant against the wall outside the first room, breathing heavily.

"You okay, love?" one of the nurses asked, and Blaine looked up, nodding slightly.

"It's...tough."

She nodded slightly. "Working in paediatrics is always draining. These kids are so brave."

Blaine nodded, biting his lip before taking a deep breath and preparing himself for the next group of children.

"Don't overwhelm yourself, Blaine." The nurse said softly. "Get too involved and you'll only end up destroying yourself."


	14. That's Not Love At All

It took him a while, but finally, Blaine was ready to move on. He stepped into the next room – seven year olds to twelve year olds - which had a similar layout. The back of the room was a living room, but also sported a colouring table and a small bookcase. It opened to a much smaller courtyard – more of a greenhouse than actual courtyard.

The kids here were less patient – less social. There were hardly any of them milling around, unlike the ward with the older children. These ones stayed in their sections, quiet and occupied. Even the TV only had two kids watching it.

Blaine bit his lip, before choosing the loneliest looking child.

She was about ten, sitting up in bed and reading.

"Hello?" he said softly, and she looked up, her eyes wide.

"Hello." She whispered. "Are you a doctor?"

"Me?" he chuckled. "Nope. My boyfriend's upstairs with our baby, so I decided to come down here and keep people like you company!"

She regarded Blaine, looking him up and down before smiling slightly. "You have a boyfriend?"

Blaine paused, before smiling and nodding. "His name is Kurt, and I'm Blaine. What's your name?"

"Sammie." She smiled.

"So how long have you been in here, Sammie?" he asked conversationally, perching on the end of her bed.

"A couple of days now."

"And what's wrong with you?"

She heaved a sigh. "I have pneumonia."

"Pneumonia? Ah, that sucks." He said. "How long until you get better?"

"The doctor's aren't sure. They have to keep taking these tests."

"Yeah, but your parents are there when they do it, aren't they?"

She bit her lip. "No...not really. My daddy died a little while ago, and I've got five little brothers and sisters. Mommy can't be here a lot...but she tries." She swallowed hard. "But I've got two older sisters too, and they visit me."

Blaine was almost in tears. He took her hand. "Are you going to be okay?"

She smiled slightly. "_I'm_ going to be okay Blaine...are you?"

"W-What?"

"You look sad... Are you okay?"

"Yeah... It's just..."

"All the sick people?"

Blaine was a little taken aback.

"Yeah. I guess." He whispered.

She smiled slightly, patting his hand.

"At least you can go home." She whispered, and Blaine was speechless.

"How do you cope?"

She smiled. "I read."

"What sort of books do you read?"

She blushed, looking aside.

"I don't... exactly... read that many books." She murmered, a blush spreading over her cheeks.

"What do you read then...?"

"Fanfiction..."

Blaine's eyes lit up. "Really?"

She nodded shyly.

"What sort of fanfiction do you read?"

She blushed again. "I like...World of Warcraft...stuff. My friends and I write about our characters..."

"WoW?" Blaine grinned. "Sadly, I never got into it...but that means you play, right?"

She nodded, a small grin reappearing on her lips. "You should get into it sometime, Blaine...it's a good distraction."

^.^

Three to seven year olds were next, but Blaine didn't know how much more he could take. Sammie's sisters had come to visit – making him feel a little awkward, so he politely excused himself.

Now, he was walking down the ward with children who seemed at a loss as to why they were still sick. This age group was tricky – everything seemed horrible to younger children – they couldn't differentiate between actual pain and just crappy feelings, and so there were several nurses in this room.

"Oh Blaine, nice to see you!" a familiar nurse called, beckoning him over. "Can you just...sit in the middle of the room and start singing nursery rhymes? We really need to distract these kids. It's a bad day."

Blaine laughed. "Of course."

He grabbed a bean-bag from the 'living area' and plopped it in the middle of room, sitting down with his guitar. There was just one problem.

He didn't know any nursery rhymes on guitar.

Choosing a generic set of chords, he improvised, starting out with 'Old McDonald Had A Farm'.

Like magic, the kids were drawn to him – some came and sat around him, while others sat on the beds and listened.

By the third song, the kids were encroaching on his personal space, but he didn't really mind. It was better than crying children. Then the requests started.

"Can you play 'Humpty Dumpty?"

"I can try." Blaine hummed happily, trying to work out the chords in his head before actually playing them.

When he was done with that one, a little girl spoke up. "Can you play the Rudolph song?"

"That's a Christmas song! It's not Christmas!" one boy retorted.

"But I like that song..."

"What if I play that, then you can pick one?" Blaine compromised.

Their little game went on and on, until one of the nurses stepped in. "Okay kids, time for snacks!" There was a resounding cheer and suddenly the children were gone.

Blaine laughed. "That was fast."

"They love their food." She smiled. "Thank you so much. You gave us enough time to change sheets and things."

"You're very welcome. I had a lot of fun...two more rooms."

It was midday – he had two hours left.

Feeling a lot better about himself, he headed into the room he was in yesterday – six weeks to three years old. He knew Stephanie had gone home, but there was another little girl – Keana - that he had talked to and was dying to find.

He searched the cots and the small beds, section by section – waving hello to some of the little kids he recognised. He sang softly to some – playing patty-cake with others, until he came to the end of the ward, and still no Keana.

Approaching a nurse, he frowned. "Hey...uh...there was a little girl here yesterday...her name was Keana...is there...?" he looked around. "Where is she? Did she go home?"

"Oh Blaine..." she put her hand on his arm, biting her lip. "Keana passed away last night."

Blaine froze, blinking slightly. "What?"

"It happens sometimes. She was very sick to begin with, and her body was too weak to survive."

Tears pooled in Blaine's eyes and he frowned in disbelief.

"Wow." He muttered, and the nurse watched him with concern. "Wow."

"Are you okay?"

Blaine wiped his eyes, nodding slightly. "Yeah. Yeah...I'll...I'll...I will come back for the...babies tomorrow. I'm going to go...back to our room."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

He nodded, trying hard to force a smile. "Fine."

"If you're sure. Thanks for your help today."

"No worries."

^.^

When Blaine returned to his room, he was a sobbing mess. Everything about today was just emotionally draining – the kids who tried so hard to be strong, when they all feared the inevitable. And then Keana – who had died before she was given a real chance at life.

It wasn't fair!

He collapsed on the bed, thankful Kurt wasn't back yet, burying his face in the pillow and letting his grief take over.

He knew one thing for sure – he would never become a children's doctor - or ANY doctor, for that matter. He hated hospitals.

"Blaine?"

Blaine turned around to find Jackie wheeling Kurt in, and he quickly wiped his face.

"Kurt!" he tried to be happy – he really did – but Kurt saw right through it.

"Blaine, what's wrong?"

Jackie wheeled him to the bed before bidding them goodbye, but Blaine didn't want to talk about it. He silently helped Kurt and Madeline into bed before crawling into bed with them.

"How was physio?" he asked sullenly.

"I'm...hobbling...and I've stopped falling down. My legs are getting stronger."

Blaine managed a smile, kissing the side of his face. "Good on you. Are you able to go home tomorrow?"

"Physio wants to wait and see how I am tomorrow morning before she makes her decision."

Blaine nodded, then fell silent, gently stroking Madeline's hand as she slept.

"How was your day? What did you end up doing?"

Blaine shrugged. "It was fine."

Kurt frowned, burrowing into him and planting a kiss to his jawline. "You're not happy...and that worries me."

Blaine sighed. "I'm fine."

"Tell me later?"

"Maybe."

Kurt sighed. "Well, for now you can hold Madeline." He carefully dumped the sleeping three-week old in his arms. "Because cuddling her makes everything better."

Blaine let an actual genuine smile slip, looking down at the bundle of perfection in his arms.

She really did make everything better.

^.^

On Friday, Kurt woke with a smile on his face.

"Physio time!" he grinned.

Blaine mumbled something next to him, slowly opening his eyes.

"What?"

"Physio. It's my last day of six hour work!"

Blaine smiled – he felt much better this morning. He kissed Kurt and stretched, yawning as Kurt pulled himself out of bed and into the wheelchair.

"Do you want to have breakfast in the cafeteria this morning? We'll bring Madeline and..."

"Yes."

Blaine chuckled, looking at the time. "We have two hours until the physio comes...do you want to get dressed?"

Kurt snorted. "No. I like my jammies."

Blaine raised an eyebrow. "Didn't I specifically go home Wednesday to get something _other_ than your jammies?"

"Yeah, but you used fabric softener when you washed them." He wiggled a little in his wheelchair, sighing happily.

Blaine chuckled, expertly fixing a bottle for Madeline and making up a small travel bag for her, before slotting it under the wheelchair. He then retrieved Madeline and gave her a small kiss on the nose, before letting Kurt take her.

"Breakfast." Kurt grinned.

Blaine laughed happily, wheeling him to the lift and pressing the button for the ground floor. Madeline woke up at the weird sensation of going down, her face scrunching up.

"No, no, no!" Kurt cooed, hoisting her up to his shoulder and patting her back.

Blaine knelt down, tracing her little fingers as they convinced her that everything was okay and she didn't need to cry. They got away with little whimpers, and when the lift opened, she was back to happy gurgling.

Blaine and Kurt shared a special glance – relieved and grinning – that was their first real problem that they'd faced, and they'd tackled it quickly and easily.

They were proud, to say the least.

^.^

"You're out of bed. On your own." Jackie approached them at their table, a wide grin on her face.

"Yep!" Kurt said happily, spooning the last of his fruit into his mouth.

"You're also late."

Blaine and Kurt glanced at the time – wondering just _how _two hours had passed so quickly.

"Sorry..." Kurt whispered guiltily.

"No, no...Kurt, this is a _good_ thing. You're getting up and moving about without our help."

Kurt's eyes lit up. "So...are you saying this is an incentive to let me go today?"

Jackie grinned. "It just might be."

Kurt beamed happily and Blaine laughed.

"Are you ready to go?"

Kurt nodded, readjusting Madeline and settling her more comfortably.

"I'll see you at two?" Blaine asked, kissing him briefly, and he nodded.

^.^

Carole was already waiting when they arrived.

"Ah, there you are. We were beginning to think you escaped."

"They were having breakfast." Jackie grinned, and Carole laughed.

"I forgive you then."

Kurt stretched, allowed Carole to take Madeline, and then hoisted himself out of the chair. With wobbly steps, he eased himself onto the floor for stretches.

With both legs stretched out, either side of him, Carole sat in front of him – just out of reach, with Madeline in her lap. The aim of it was to give him a reason to stretch further – and getting to Madeline was pretty good motivation. Barbara talked to him through it, getting him to relax certain muscles as he stretched, pushing him down further when he started lacking in strength.

"Wonderful." Barbara grinned, letting him flake out a bit.

"Tummy time?" Kurt asked, and Carole laughed, nodding and settling Madeline down on her stomach, her cot blanket stretched out underneath her.

"You know what that means?" Barbara asked, grinning as Kurt sprawled on his stomach. He looked up at her, fingers pausing where they were stroking Madeline's cheek, a scared expression on his face.

That sentence was never a good thing – it always meant Barbara was about to make him do some _evil_ stretch she'd just made up.

"Ab-bridges."

"...what?"

"Essentially, you're planking, but you balance on your elbows and toes, hands clasped in front of you."

"...Planking?"

"Yeah...planking - Kurt...you can't tell me you've never heard of them? Everyone was doing it..." Carole said softly.

"I was pregnant for nine months. Anything that happened during that time, I have put out from my mind."

Barbara laughed. "Alright, I'll show you." She dropped to the floor, springing up on her elbows and toes and holding it. "Back straight, head up, everything tense."

Kurt watched her, _knowing_ that tomorrow he would be in _so_ much pain.

"Owch?"

"By the end of today, I want you to hold it for two minutes. Then you can go home."

Kurt blanched. _Two minutes._

"Ugh."

"Come on, practice."

Kurt heaved a sigh, pulling himself up into the right position. His stomach screamed at him, and after thirty seconds, his whole body was quivering, and he had to let it go, whimpering slightly.

"Wow. Ow."

Barbra smiled. "Alright, try again?"

He flailed, resting on his stomach, before sighing and pulling himself up again.

This time he managed a minute. But _god_ it hurt.

"Alright, good." Barbara said softly. "Let's move onto stairs, and then we can come back to this."

Kurt nodded gratefully, standing up and stretching slightly. Carole stayed on the floor with Madeline while Kurt moved to the small stair machine.

He was good at these ones – slow at first, but once his legs warmed up properly, he could almost make the entire staircase without holding onto the rails.

"Very good." Barbara praised happily. "Can you walk in a straight line for me – I want to check your hip alignment."

Without rails, Kurt kind of sucked. He took slow steps, wincing slightly as he shook, but he made it to the end without falling.

"That's good too – you haven't thrown your hips out or anything. You up for more Ab-bridge? Then we can have some morning tea."

Kurt nodded, slowly and carefully flopping down where Madeline was still on her tummy, watching him curiously. He grinned, stroking her hand and giving her a kiss before tensing up and pulling himself into the right position.

He could do this.

He stared determinedly at Madeline – she was watching him again – as he felt his legs start to shake, but he couldn't drop it. He _had_ to go home today. He couldn't stay in this place again. He wanted to take Madeline home and show her around – he wanted a spend a night with Blaine in a bed that catered for the both of them – where he didn't have to make sure neither of them would fall out. And _god, _he just wanted cheesecake...and coffee.

Madeline let out a little whimper, and that was it. Kurt dropped the position with a gasp, his eyes locked on hers.

"A minute and a half..." Barbara said softly, and Kurt let out a little growl, taking Madeline's hand.

She immediately stopped being about to cry, looking at him again.

"I think that's enough tummy time." Carole said softly – seeing how frustrated Kurt was.

"I want to...one more time. Please." Kurt said, shaking out his arms and legs slightly.

"I'll go feed Madeline." Carole said, and both Barbara and Kurt nodded.

"One more time." Kurt insisted.

"Alright, but then it's morning tea. You'll hurt yourself otherwise."

He nodded, pulling himself back up.

He _had _to make it this time. He _had _to. He knew he could. He was strong now. He could do it.

His legs, arms and stomach screamed abuse at him, and he wanted to just relax – he could let it go...maybe he could go home tomorrow. It wouldn't be _that_ bad. One more night wasn't that bad.

"Kurt..."

"Shh. Concentrating." He gasped.

"Kurt, that's three minutes."


	15. I Just Wish We Could Bend The Rules

Kurt sped through morning tea, trying to wolf it down so he could tell Blaine the good news. Carole watched him fondly, halfway through Madeline's bottle.

"Don't eat too fast." She scolded fondly, and Kurt chuckled.

"Carole, I'm going home tonight. You can't say anything that will slow me down!"

Carole chuckled, turning Madeline over on her shoulder to burp her.

"Can we go back to my room now?"

"Don't you want to tell Blaine?" Barbara asked, and Kurt blinked in confusion.

"Isn't he in my room…?"

"Not for a couple of days now sweetie…" Carole laughed and Kurt looked confused.

"Where is he?"

"You'll see." Barbara smiled as Kurt swallowed the last of his meal. "Do you want to walk down to see him?"

Kurt tested himself, standing up, and found himself too wobbly. "Uhm…not all the way."

Barbara smiled and nodded, finding the wheelchair and pushing it back over. Kurt sunk into it gratefully, stretching out his legs and sighing.

"Blaine now?"

Carole chuckled. "Do you want to finish burping Madeline?"

"Yes please!"

Carole handed her over and Kurt grinned, resting her over his shoulder and gently patting her back as Barbara wheeled him to the lifts.

"Where are we going?" Kurt asked as Carole hit the ground floor.

"You'll see." They both replied and Kurt let out a frustrated grunt, but kept quiet.

Madeline – a little more used to the elevator – whimpered slightly on the way down, but Kurt cooed to her gently and she settled.

The lift stopped at the ground and they made their way to paediatrics. Not understanding, Kurt looked around – until he heard gentle guitar music from the second youngest room. Blinking slightly, he passed Madeline to Carole and wheeled himself forward, stopping in the doorway as he got himself around the frame.

Blaine sat in the middle of the room – on a proper chair this time – with a crowd of captivated children around him.

As Kurt watched, one of the nurses stepped in, calling the kids away to food, or visitors – back to their beds to give Blaine a break.

Blaine stood, setting his guitar down carefully and stretching.

Kurt pushed himself out of his wheelchair, wincing slightly at the burn in his legs, and silently hobbled to where Blaine was, wrapping his arms around his waist.

Blaine jumped, turning around to find Kurt and relaxing.

"Oh look at you. You're walking." He laughed, hugging him back. Kurt beamed at him proudly, nodding. "How'd you find me?"

"Apparently, the nurses like to gossip." Kurt whispered, laughing. "Are you free?"

"Almost." Blaine told him. "Go sit down, and I'll be there soon."

Kurt did as he was asked, watching as Blaine talked to all of the kids again, waving goodbye, sharing jokes and getting hugs from one or two of the kids – and a couple of the parents as well.

"Done." Blaine smiled, meeting Kurt in the doorway and waving at the kids as he left the ward, stroking Madeline's head fondly.

"Back to our room then? I've got some good news."

"Yeah." Blaine agreed, smiling at Carole and Barbara. "Just got to thank the nurses first."

^.^

Ten minutes later, Kurt had been tucked back into bed by Carole and Barbara, both of them insisting he get some rest while Blaine packed up their stuff, and Barbara told him what he'd have to do.

"Kurt will be able to do nearly everything, just make sure he doesn't stand for too long." She instructed Blaine. "And make sure he gets plenty of rest – try not to let him tire himself out too much. Stairs will be difficult – he can manage, but don't let him carry Madeline upstairs."

Kurt interrupted sleepily from the bed.

"Take plenty of naps, barely any walking. Got it."

Barbara laughed.

"That's about it. I'll see you bright and early Monday morning Kurt, you still have another week of physio."

Kurt groaned and Barbara smiled at him.

"Just be grateful they're letting you go home."

"I am! You just get too much pleasure out of thinking up evil exercises."

Barbara laughed, frowning at him.

"Go to sleep. I'll see you later."

"Yes ma'am." Kurt mumbled, rolling over and missing the look Barbara sent at him.

"Good luck!" she called, letting herself out of the room.

Blaine quickly finished packing up their stuff, and hesitated, glancing between Carole and Madeline, and Kurt.

"Go take it down to the car." Carole said softly. "He'll still be asleep when you get back."

Blaine nodded, his decision made. Slinging his guitar on his back, he grabbed all the bags except for Madeline's nappy bag – the one that had their wallets in it - and hurried out of the room, ignoring Carole asking him why he couldn't take two trips.

He bounced back into the room not much later, taking Madeline out of Carole's arms and kissing the woman on the cheek, much to her surprise.

"Thank you. For everything." Blaine said warmly. "You dropped everything to come and help us when we needed it, and just... Thank you." He repeated, and Carole smiled at him, hugging him gently.

"We're family... That's what family does."

^.^

Kurt woke later – when Madeline had started crying, and Blaine hadn't gotten to her fast enough - about ten minutes after Carole had left, making Blaine promise to ring her if they needed anything, and promising to come to the party on Sunday afternoon.

"She won't be hungry yet." He'd mumbled. "Check her nappy."

Blaine made a face at him, but took his advice, screwing his nose up and carrying Madeline over to the change table.

A couple of minutes later, Blaine deposited Madeline in Kurt's arms, hurrying out of the room to bin the dirty nappy and wash his hands.

Kurt rested Madeline on his stomach, slouching so that he was lying flat, and holding her in place. She gurgled, kicking her legs in the air and waving around her arms, and Kurt laughed, slowly waking up.

"Are you excited to go home as well?" he asked, tickling her sides.

She gurgled again, and Blaine laughed, scooping the baby back up off of Kurt and kissing her nose as Kurt pouted up at him, the expression quickly relaxing back into a smile.

"Of course she is! She wants to go home just as much as we do." Blaine told him, leaning down to kiss Kurt's nose as well. "We just have to get you checked out of the hospital, whenever you're ready to go."

Kurt practically bounced upright.

"Really? Can we go now?"

Blaine laughed, kissing his cheek.

"Are you ready to go then?" he teased, and Kurt smiled up at him.

"Definitely."

They checked the room one last time, making sure they hadn't forgotten anything before leaving, making their way to the nurse's station.

A few forms later, and Kurt was checked out of the hospital. He grinned proudly as he took Blaine's hand, waving goodbye to the nurses he'd had to depend upon for a couple of weeks.

"We don't want to see you back here until you're ready to give Madeline a sibling!" one teased, and Kurt blushed.

"You'll see me for physio next week anyway."

"Are you sure you don't want a wheelchair?" Jackie asked in concern, noting how wobbly Kurt was.

"No, I'll be fine." Kurt grinned. "Thank you though."

"Take care of yourself." She called as they walked away.

In the elevator, Kurt let go of Blaine's hand, leaning against the side with a sigh.

"You okay?" Blaine asked, rocking Madeline when she started to whimper and readjusting the nappy bag on his back.

"Fine. My legs are still a bit wobbly, that's all." Kurt explained, taking Blaine's hand again as the elevator stopped.

"Alright." Blaine said, stopping just outside of the hospital, and pushing Kurt down onto a seat. "You wait here with Madeline, and I'll go get the car."

"Blaine..." Kurt called as Blaine started to walk off. "You _did_ remember to bring the car seat didn't you?"

Blaine laughed.

"Of course I did."

^.^

It didn't take Blaine long to get the car, and soon they were both struggling with the car seat. Blaine had managed to attach it _to_ the car, but how the straps did up around Madeline was almost twice as confusing. Kurt finally pushed Blaine aside and managed it in two or three movements, tugging to make sure it wasn't too tight, and pulled back, grinning at Blaine.

"Front or back seat?" Blaine asked, and Kurt frowned, glancing at Madeline nervously.

"Will she be okay in the backseat by herself?"

"She's strapped in." Blaine said gently, noting the way Kurt was stroking Madeline's arm worriedly, biting at his lip. "And I'll drive carefully, okay?"

"..okay." Kurt agreed finally, letting Blaine help him into the front seat, but almost immediately twisting around so that he could keep an eye on Madeline.

"Blaine, this is her first time in a car."

"Yeah?" Blaine asked, glancing at Kurt and taking his hand with a smile as he eased the car out into the traffic.

"It seems... important. Like a milestone or something."

"Mm." Blaine agreed non-commitedly. He was far more nervous then he thought he'd be, driving Madeline home. She was _very_ small... What if there was an accident?

Kurt sighed and dropped the topic, glancing back at Madeline again. He curled sideways in his seat, resting his cheek against the headrest, yawning tiredly as he glanced between Blaine and Madeline. Ten minutes into their journey, both Kurt and Madeline were fast asleep.

Blaine smiled at them both fondly before turning to concentrate on the road.

^.^

Kurt woke up as Blaine turned to car off, making a sleepy noise of annoyance until he realised where they were.

"Maddy?" he asked, confused, and Blaine smiled.

"Sleeping."

"Oh..."

Blaine smiled at him.

"Do you want to get her out of the car while I unlock the house?"

Kurt seemed oddly nervous, glancing at her, then at the house before nodded, smiling at Blaine.

"Okay." He agreed, climbing out of the car and leaning over their daughter. "Shh." He soothed when she started whimpering, obviously a bit confused. "It's okay princess, daddy's got you."

Blaine held the door open as Kurt went past him, almost immediately seating himself on the couch and stretching out his legs.

"Shh, it's okay baby, we're home now." Kurt soothed as Blaine went back for the bags and his guitar.

By the time Blaine had returned, Madeline was calmer, her eyes locking with Kurt's every time he moved – as if waiting for a reaction.

"How is she?" Blaine asked softly, depositing the bags in a corner and putting his guitar on its stand.

"Good. I think." Kurt said softly, chewing his lip as he watched her look around. "She seems…okay."

Blaine nodded, carefully sitting down next to them.

"Kurt." Blaine nudged him gently.

Adjusting his grip on Madeline, Kurt glanced over at his boyfriend, worry lines creasing his forehead.

"What?"

"We're home. All three of us."


	16. Like Some Never Ending April Fools

Their afternoon passed fairly quietly as they started to settle back into their routine. Kurt spent some time on the computer, trying to catch up on the course work he'd missed, sometimes with Madeline cradled carefully in his lap, and sometimes without, but always with her nearby.

Blaine had spent most of the time wandering around the house – tidying up, and doing laundry, ignoring the college work he'd missed in favour of lying on the floor with Madeline, and just generally wasting time, enjoying being home.

Kurt had watched nervously as Blaine bathed Madeline in the baby bath, expertly holding onto her tiny, wiggly body as he washed her, pulling her out and placing her on the towel Kurt held when he was finished.

"Do you want me to help you dress her?" Blaine asked, watching the way Kurt bit his lip as he looked down at her, remembering Kurt hadn't had a lot of experience at _any_ of this – first he was unconscious, then all his time was being wasted in either physio, eating or sleeping – leaving him with very little time to learn how to look after his newborn daughter.

Blaine knew Kurt hadn't had to dress her by himself yet, and seriously doubted he'd ever changed a nappy.

"Please." Kurt answered softly, sighing in exasperation. "I feel a little useless... I don't really know how to do anything..."

Blaine smiled at him, reaching out to rest a hand on his cheek. Kurt leant into the touch, hands gently rubbing at Madeline's arms as she gurgled and cooed up at him.

"We'll just have to teach you then, won't we?" Blaine asked, watching Kurt's face light up as he nodded eagerly.

Blaine pulled a nappy and a pink onesie out of Madeline's nappy bag, instructing Kurt to lie Madeline down on the couch beside him.

Patiently, he talked Kurt through putting the nappy on her, before repeating the process with the onesie, each gently dressing an arm and a leg as Madeline flailed, obviously enjoying the attention.

Finally, the last button was clipped into place, and Kurt's frown of concentration relaxed into a smile.

"We did it!" he cheered softly, cradling Madeline to his chest as Blaine sat beside him.

"Now, I guess it's time for her bottle?" Blaine asked as she started whimpering, nuzzling her face against Kurt.

"Must be." Kurt giggled, and Blaine quickly fetched a bottle, heating it up and testing the temperature before handing it to Kurt.

"We're really starting to get the hang of this."

"Mm." Kurt agreed non-commitedly, moving a pillow to the arm of the chair so he could rest his arms comfortably. They sat in silence for a little while, contentedly watching Madeline drink, before Kurt spoke up.

"Blaine?"

"Mm?"

"What's for dinner?"

Blaine paused, letting out a short laugh.

"Whoops. I forgot we didn't have a cafeteria." He chuckled. "Do we have any microwavable meals left?"

Kurt wrinkled his nose. "I've been in hospital for three weeks." He laughed. "But knowing you, you haven't cleaned out the fridge…so even if we did, they'd be off or at least very stale by now."

Blaine laughed.

"I guess its take-out then? I'll go shopping tomorrow for groceries…and then we can settle."

Kurt grinned at that. "Back to our old lives?"

Blaine grabbed Madeline's foot, stroking it gently.

"Not quite."

^.^

The next major problem came at bedtime.

Madeline refused to settle in the bassinette, screwing up her face and crying every time Kurt tried to lie her down. Kurt had attempted to rock her to sleep before lying her down, but she just woke up again as soon as her body hit the mattress.

She was exhausted – cranky and upset, and not quite knowing what she wanted – and it was stressing Kurt out.

Blaine came upstairs to find Kurt rocking her tensely, patting her back as he tried to soothe her.

"Give her here." He said softly, holding his arms out.

Kurt surrendered her with a sigh, collapsing onto their bed and rubbing his fists over tired eyes.

"Come on baby, calm down." Blaine cooed softly. "I know, it's all different, and funny, and it doesn't feel like your bed." Madeline stilled in his arms, looking up at him as her eyes started to droop and she yawned. "That's it Maddy, time to sleep."

Madeline yawned again, nestling into his arms. Blaine held his breath as she closed her eyes slowly, and finally she was asleep.

Grinning triumphantly, he turned to lower her into her crib, and Kurt sat up with a panicked cry.

"What?" Blaine sighed, freezing in place.

"Don't put her in her crib. Every time I did she just woke up again."

"Then where is she supposed to sleep?" Blaine frowned, cradling Madeline back against his chest.

Kurt bit his lip, thinking hard until he finally exhaled in a rush.

"Did we bring her blanket home?"

"Yeah, it's downstairs."

"Hang on a second, I'll be back." Kurt told him, making his way out of the room.

A few minutes later he was back, slightly out of breath from climbing the stairs.

"Babies are supposed to have a really strong sense of smell right?" Kurt asked, carefully spreading the blanket out in her bassinette.

"Yeah, so?"

"So I think Madeline's problem is that it doesn't smell like her bed."

Blaine hid a laugh.

"That seems a bit... silly."

"Just try it." Kurt sighed. "It can't hurt. And I _really_ want to go to bed."

Blaine bit his lip, lowering Madeline into her bed slowly and steadily before easing his arms out from underneath her.

They froze as she wriggled a little, whimpering, but she quickly settled down, and both Kurt and Blaine sighed in relief.

"Time for bed?" Blaine whispered, grabbing at Kurt's arm as he swayed unsteadily.

"Please."

^.^

Madeline woke them up three times that night, easily settled back into sleep with a bottle and a nappy change, but by the time they got up, both Kurt and Blaine were exhausted.

"Why does it seem so much harder to get up at night now that we're home?" Kurt asked, barely awake as he leant on the wall.

"Because our bed is comfortable. And we both fit properly for once. And because we can actually turn the lights out." Blaine asked tiredly from the floor, Madeline cradled in his arms as he fed her her bottle. "Why are you up anyway? You need more sleep then I do."

"No I don't." Kurt argued, lying back down anyway and peeking at Blaine over the edge of the bed.

"You're still recovering. Go back to sleep."

"No."

"Don't be difficult."

"Stop treating me like a child."

They glared at each other for a minute or two before breaking out into tired laughter.

"No fighting please?" Kurt requested. "And yes, I'm tired, but I'm probably going to end up sleeping all day anyway."

Blaine nodded. "Fine." He agreed with a sigh. "Coffee?" he asked pleadingly, and Kurt grinned at him.

"I suppose." He teased, rolling over and stretching lazily. "Oh, you wanted me to make it?" Kurt smirked, peering at Blaine's exasperated expression.

"Well, I'm kind of busy right now..." Blaine trailed off, gesturing to Madeline and sticking his tongue out at Kurt.

"Mature." Kurt laughed, rolling off the bed and standing up. "Are you coming downstairs? I don't think I could climb the stairs holding cups of coffee..."

Blaine smiled at him.

"I'll be down as soon as Maddy finishes her bottle."

^.^

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Blaine hovered nervously over Kurt, car keys in hand. He was _supposed_ to be going grocery shopping, but he was far too busy worrying about leaving Kurt and Madeline alone to actually leave.

"Blaine." Kurt cut of his protests. "We'll be fine. Everything we need is downstairs, _including_ the bathroom, and everything I'll need to look after Madeline. You'll only be gone an hour or two at the most and I've already promised to call you if I need you. Stop stressing."

"But Kurt..."

"Blaine. We'll be _fine_."

Blaine sighed, stopping his next protest and leant over Kurt to kiss him gently, dropping a kiss on Madeline's forehead before he straightened up.

"Okay. I believe you. Just..."

"Blaine, I'll ring you if I have a problem."

"Okay, I'm going now."

"Bye Blaine." Kurt called after his boyfriend, smirking a little as he readjusted Madeline. "Daddy's a bit over-protective of us isn't he?" he cooed to her, smiling as she gurgled and blinked up at him. "Alright sweetie, why don't we have a nap?" he suggested, shifting her until they were chest to chest.

Madeline seemed to understand, laying her head down and closing her eyes as Kurt petted absently at her back.

"And when we wake up, why don't we have some tummy time? I really should do a couple of my stretches, so Barbara doesn't get upset with me."

Madeline grumbled and Kurt smiled.

"Sorry baby, I'll be quiet now."

It wasn't long before the house filled with the sound of their sleepy breathing.

^.^

"Kurt, we have a party to plan." Blaine said excitedly, waking Kurt up as he bounced back into the house.

"No. Sleeping." Kurt told him, cuddling further into the couch. Blaine laughed, scooping Madeline off of his chest.

"But Maddy's awake, so you should be too!"

Kurt groaned, rolling over and burying his face into the cushions.

"_Sleeping_."

Blaine sighed, taking Madeline into the kitchen and sitting down next to the phone, holding her carefully supported against his stomach with one arm.

"Now, who should we invite?"

^.^

Madeline behaved herself for the hour Blaine was on the phone – talking to Burt and Carole, Finn and Rachel, Wes, David, Nick, Jeff and Trent – (He hadn't spoken to them much recently, but they _were_ still his friends, and he didn't want them to miss out on too much of his life) – and inviting them all over the next afternoon. Madeline seemed to enjoy the sound of his voice, lazily dozing, fisting his shirt in her tiny hands.

He spent a great deal of time wondering if he should call any of Kurt's friends, and decided against it, calling Rachel again instead and telling _her_ to organise them – the only guidelines being that she couldn't tell them _why_.

Madeline started whining just as Blaine was talking to Rachel, and he excused himself quickly, hurrying through the details before hanging up.

"Shhh." Blaine soothed, rocking her as he stood, and grabbing a bottle out of the fridge, putting it on to warm up.

Madeline's fussing got louder the longer she waited, rubbing her face anxiously against Blaine's shoulder as he paced.

Finally the bottle was warm, and Blaine grabbed it, testing the temperature on his wrist. Easing the tip of the bottle into Madeline's mouth, Blaine sighed in relief as she quieted, her eyes fixing on his as she drank.

"Good girl." Blaine praised, sinking into a kitchen chair. "I'm sorry, I didn't realise how long it'd been since your last feed."

Madeline pulled away from the bottle long enough to coo up at him, and Blaine grinned.

"I guess Daddy forgot to feed you." He whispered, kissing her forehead and breathing in the baby-smell that still clung to her.

"_Daddy_ and Madeline were sleeping." Kurt's voice interrupted from the doorway, yawning. Blaine grinned at him, and Kurt rolled his eyes as he sat next to Blaine, tracing his fingers over Madeline's cheek.

"How long have you been home?" Kurt asked, rubbing at his eyes.

"An hour or so." Blaine replied easily. "I was calling people, inviting them to the party."

"Who's coming?"

"Carole and Burt, Rachel and Finn, Nick and Jeff, Trent and David, Wes... I wasn't sure who you wanted to invite, so I got Rachel to invite them for us."

"Okay..." Kurt sighed. "Do they know about Madeline?"

"I didn't tell them."

Kurt smirked then, taking Madeline as she finished her bottle and resting her against his shoulder as Blaine flicked a tea-towel under her.

"Tomorrow's going to be interesting."


	17. Think Of Me Like I Thought Of You

Kurt went up to bed early that night.

He convinced Blaine to carry Madeline upstairs for him, and Blaine tucked them in before going back downstairs to finish tidying up for the next day.

Blaine wandered around downstairs, smiling to himself at how far the baby things had managed to spread themselves in just one day. Finally done with cleaning, he went back upstairs to find Kurt fast asleep, Madeline lying contentedly on his chest, an open book dropped at his side.

"Come on princess." Blaine whispered, gently scooping Madeline up into his arms. Both Kurt and Madeline whimpered, and Blaine smiled slightly. "Time for bed." He checked her nappy before lowering her into her cot, kissing her forehead and pulling the covers up over her.

Blaine moved back over to Kurt, picking the book up and closing it before climbing into bed next to Kurt, curling himself around him and pulling the blankets up over them both.

"Blaine?" Kurt murmured.

"Shh, go back to sleep." Blaine whispered, kissing the back of his neck.

"Mm, okay." Kurt sighed, squirming further back into Blaine's arms before his eyes closed again.

Smiling to himself, Blaine's eyes closed slowly, following Kurt into sleep.

^.^

It was around eleven – only a couple of hours later - when Madeline woke up, but it wasn't her cries that woke Blaine. She was cooing and gurgling to herself, and Blaine frowned, sitting up slightly.

"That is _so_ cute." Kurt mumbled sleepily, and Blaine smiled fondly, wrapping his arm around Kurt's waist.

"Go back to sleep." Blaine whispered. "We've got a big day tomorrow."

"Mmhm."

Blaine grinned, gently stroking his arm as he continued to listen to Madeline. Soon, her happy gurgles turned to sleepy ones, and then she dropped back into sleep. Blaine stifled a laugh.

Babies were so simple.

^.^

Two hours later, Madeline was crying. _Loudly._ Blaine jolted awake, already out of bed before Kurt had time to sit up. He scooped her up and cooed to her as he made his way downstairs – still half asleep. He fixed her bottle and collapsed on the couch, feeding her.

He got up three more times that night – feeding, changing and playing with her until dawn.

The next time he woke up, it was nine, and there was no warm body next to his.

He raised his head off the pillow, squinting towards Madeline's cot. She was gone as well, and he was just about to worry when Kurt's voice drifted to him from downstairs.

"See? We're fine. How about we let daddy sleep a bit longer, because I know he was up with you all night..." Kurt's voice trailed off, and Blaine smiled sleepily.

He had time for a little bit more sleep.

^.^

Blaine woke with a jump as a warm bundle was gently dropped onto his chest. He cradled Madeline carefully as Kurt bounced onto the bed next to him.

"Blaine, time to get up!" Kurt said happily.

"Mm...what's the time...?"

"Almost twelve. You told Burt and Carole and the others to come at two-thirty, didn't you?"

Blaine yawned, sitting up with Madeline. "Burt, Carole...Rachel, and Finn...they'll be here at two thirty...the others at three."

Kurt nodded, stroking Madeline's foot.

"Kiss?" Blaine requested, stretching lazily and grinning at Kurt. Kurt smiled, leaning carefully over Madeline to press their lips together.

She giggled, and they pulled apart, staring down at her in shock.

"She's... _smiling_."

Kurt's eyes widened, a happy grin escaping his lips. "Oh my god."

"She's beautiful." Blaine whispered, tracing her little mouth with his finger.

Suddenly the doorbell rang, and they both frowned.

"No one's supposed to be here for another couple of hours..." Blaine said hesitantly.

The doorbell rang again and Blaine handed Madeline over, scrambling to get up.

"I'm coming!" he called.

"Blaine, pyjama's!" Kurt reminded him, smirking.

"Oh, right. How about you get the door while I get dressed?"

Kurt laughed, already halfway out the door. He made his way slowly down the stairs, Madeline cradled carefully to his chest, before continuing more confidently to the door.

"Hi!" he greeted happily, pulling the door open – then he froze, his eyes widening. "Mercedes?"

She stood on the porch with a wide grin, her eyes widening at Madeline.

"You have a baby!"

Kurt laughed, a little nervous. "It's been almost three years, and all you can talk about is the baby?"

Mercedes shook her head, and Kurt laughed as they moved in for a hug – Kurt hugging her with one arm.

"I can't believe you're here!" Kurt whispered, holding her tight. "Wait, _why_ are you here?"

"Rachel told me you were having a get-together...and I wasn't going to come, but I got time off and I really missed you."

Kurt grinned, letting her go. "Come in – come in."

He showed her into the lounge as Blaine bounced down the stairs, running a hand through his hair.

"Kurt, who was at the door?" he asked loudly. "And didn't Barbara tell you that you weren't allowed to climb the stairs with Madeline?"

"Madeline?" Mercedes mouthed at Kurt, laughing silently.

"I was careful!" Kurt called back, settling onto the end of the couch and tugging Mercedes down to sit next to him.

"That's not the point!" Blaine called back playfully, freezing in the doorway of the room. "Mercedes?"

"Hi Blaine." She laughed. "You haven't changed a bit."

"Thanks... I think."

"So, this is Madeline?" Mercedes asked, turning back to Kurt.

"Yeah." He grinned, settling her more comfortably in his arms. "Madeline Rose Hummel-Anderson."

"He wanted to call her Hepsibah." Blaine stage-whispered, grinning as Kurt glared at him and heading for the door. "Does anyone want anything to eat or drink?"

"Just some water." Mercedes grinned at him.

"Kurt?" Blaine asked, nodding at Mercedes.

"I'm good. But she'll want a bottle soon, so you may as well warm that up." Kurt told him, nodding down at where Madeline was cooing at Mercedes.

"So, where did you get her from?" Mercedes asked as Blaine left the room. "And can I hold her? Please?"

"Okay, but be careful." Kurt told her, passing Madeline over gingerly. "Make sure you watch her head." He said worriedly.

"Kurt, I've held babies before." She teased.

"Yeah, but none of them were _my_ baby." He retorted playfully.

"Alright. Story time Kurt. Where'd she come from?"

"Um..." Kurt glanced over at Blaine, who had gotten the water and Madeline's bottle.

Blaine nodded slightly, taking Kurt's hand and sitting down with him after passing Mercedes her glass. They settled Madeline with her bottle, and Kurt closed his eyes.

"'Cedes..." Kurt whispered. "You're not going to believe me, so just...shut up until I'm done, okay?"

Mercedes raised an eyebrow, but nodded.

"Alright, so...I was getting really sick. Throwing up...nausea..." Kurt shook his head. "It lasted a couple of weeks, so I went to the doctor." Kurt took a deep breath. "Turns out I was pregnant."

Mercedes' jaw dropped. "Wha-"

"Shh." Blaine ordered.

"It turns out that about half the population of men are fertile – they have uterus', but it's not as well known because you have to factor in the amount of fertile men that are homosexuals, then the ones that...uhm...bottom." Kurt summarised. "And then the ones that actually get pregnant. So...yeah."

Mercedes was wide-eyed.

"So... She's actually... yours?" she stammered, looking at where Blaine was feeding Madeline. She took a deep breath, trying to compose herself as she studied the baby's features. "She _does_ look a lot like you two..."

Kurt smiled slightly.

"Yes, she's actually ours. Can you see why we didn't tell anyone?"

Mercedes nodded, still a little wide eyed.

"Wow...So, is that why the party? To tell everyone about her?"

Kurt winced slightly.

"Yes but... I'm not sure how much I want to actually tell them."

Blaine smirked at him.

"Are we just telling them she's adopted, or are we going to let them assume?"

Kurt matched his grin, an evil look in his eyes.

"I just…I want to try something."

^.^

Kurt and Mercedes didn't move very far for the next couple of hours – too intent on catching up on everything they'd missed.

Blaine had just taken Madeline upstairs for a sleep when the doorbell rang again.

Kurt groaned, pulling himself up to answer it.

"Hi!" Rachel called excitedly, wrapping him in a hug. "Where's Blaine and Maddy? I haven't seen my niece in a couple of days!"

"Blaine just took her upstairs for a sleep."

"Oh." Rachel pouted. "Are you ready for all the people?"

"All the people? Exactly _who_ did you invite Rachel?"

"Not _that_ many people..." Rachel hedged, edging past him into the house and spotting Mercedes. "Mercedes! You came!" she laughed, claiming her in a hug.

Finn followed her, rolling his eyes at her excited squeals and exchanging a smile at Kurt.

"How's it going bro?"

Kurt laughed. "Hurts to walk. Hurts to do anything other than sit. Otherwise it's good. You?"

"Spent most of the week talking Rachel out of coming to see you guys. I'm fairly certain the only thing she's concentrating on is Madeline."

Kurt laughed again. "Thanks for that." He told Finn, sinking back into a chair as Blaine came back down the stairs, baby monitor held in his hand.

"If any of you wake her up, I'm going to have to hurt you." He told them seriously.

Rachel laughed.

"Don't be silly Blaine, we won't wake her." She promised.

"You say that now." Blaine said darkly, collapsing on the couch next to Kurt, dropping his head onto his shoulder. "Mm tired."

Kurt laughed, elbowing him in the side.

"No sleeping."

The doorbell rung, and Kurt eased himself off the couch, opening the door to Burt and Carole.

"Hey!" he greeted, hugging them both in turn.

"Hi Kurt! How have you been? Have you been behaving yourself?"

Kurt smiled.

"Of course I have, I'm not silly." He laughed, ushering them through to the lounge room. They seated themselves, and Kurt collapsed back next to Blaine.

"You sure? You both look exhausted." Carole fussed.

Blaine yawned.

"It's a lot harder to get up in the middle of the night when your bed is comfortable and you both actually fit."

Kurt nodded in agreement, eyes widening as he remembered he was supposed to be hosting.

"Does anyone want anything?" he asked, checking around the room as everyone –except Finn, but he didn't really count – shook their heads.

"The food's on the bench." Blaine told Finn, and he hurried out of the room to fetch it, much to their amusement.

"I don't think he'll ever change." Carole said softly, shaking her head. "Hey, Kurt, where's Madeline? I bought her something."

"You didn't have to." He protested softly, glancing upwards. "And she's sleeping."

Carole smiled. "It's never too early to start spoiling my granddaughter ." she grinned, reaching into her purse. She pulled out a CD.

"It's got all the nursery rhymes on it…it'll lull her to sleep when you need a break."

Kurt grinned and leaned over to hug her. "Thank you so much."

"The others should be here soon." Finn said through a mouth full of food.

"You ready?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah." Kurt said softly.

"Are you going to tell everyone?"

"No." Kurt said with a grin, glancing around at them all. "I want to do something – we need to wait until everyone has gotten here. Blaine is going to keep the baby monitor in his pocket, but otherwise there will be _no_ mention that Madeline exists. When everyone is here…we'll bring her out."

"What are you going to tell them though?" Carole laughed as the doorbell rang again.

Blaine hopped up.

"I'll get it." he announced, hurrying out of the room.

They heard him greet the first person – Trent – and then laugh as he left the door open.

"Rachel!" he scolded, coming back into the room. "How many people did you invite?"

Rachel laughed.

"Everyone? ... Why?"

Trent followed Blaine into the room, followed by Jeff, Nick, Wes and David.

Kurt stood up, trying his hardest not to wince. "Hey guys!"

Behind them, Santana, Brittany, Mike and Tina walked in, beaming.

"It's been a while." Blaine laughed, and they all nodded.

The first few minutes were spent catching up – Kurt relaxed and glanced at Blaine occasionally, sharing a grin with him. They talked about everything and nothing – futures and how they had been, until an ear-splitting scream made everyone freeze.

It echoed from the baby monitor, but they didn't need it – it stabbed into the lounge room from the stairs, and Blaine was immediately gone – taking the stairs two at a time as he shut off the monitor.

The others stood in a dumb silence.

"Was that a baby?" Brittany asked, eyes wide.

"It sounded like a baby." Jeff muttered, turning to Kurt. "Why is there a baby upstairs?"

Kurt was far more concerned about Madeline, but her screams died to barely audible sobs, before Blaine brought her down.

Everyone let out gasps of delight, and Blaine grinned at them.

"She must've had a nightmare." Blaine said softly, before addressing the small crowd. "Guys…this is Madeline. Madeline Rose Hummel-Anderson."

It took a moment.

"Hummel-Anderson? She's yours?" Tina exclaimed, and Blaine nodded happily.

Santana raised an eyebrow. "Didn't take you boys long to adopt."

Blaine and Kurt looked at each other with mild panic, before shrugging. It was just an offhand comment – she hadn't actually asked them.

"Can we hold her?" they got several requests, and Blaine and Kurt agreed – as long as they sat down while they held her.

The afternoon wore on – they had to feed her halfway through – but everyone was happy for them. Nobody asked about where she came from, and for that they were glad – but Santana still looked suspicious.

Finally, Blaine started to notice Kurt's enthusiasm waning. His eyes drooped, his smile far less happy and far more tired. He took Madeline when she started crying, shushing her and sorting her with a bottle. Blaine joined him in the kitchen.

"You okay?"

"Tired. Sore. Can you make them go home?"

Blaine grinned, wrapping his arms around Kurt's waist. "Of course."

He re-entered the lounge room, grinning at them all. "I hate to say this, but I'm kicking you all out. Baby's sleeping and her daddy isn't doing much better, so I'd like to let them both get a good night's sleep. I promise you can come back another day! It was great seeing you all."

Ignoring their grumbles, he ushered them out, and before too long, only Carole and Burt, Rachel, Finn and Mercedes were left.

"Thanks for having us." Carole said, leaning down to hug Kurt – where he was now sitting on the couch with Madeline - and kissing his cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

Kurt nodded to her, smiling at Burt as he followed her out the door.

"Mercedes, where are you staying?" Blaine asked.

"Oh, I haven't worked that out yet. I figured I'd check into a motel or something, I have a flight back tomorrow afternoon." She told them, smiling.

"Don't." Kurt said. "We have a spare room, stay with us? Well, as long as you don't mind Madeline waking you up."

Mercedes smiled at them both.

"I'd love to."

Kurt grinned, glancing at Rachel.

"In fact, girls night?" he asked, and Rachel's face lit up.

"Yes! Finn, you don't mind coming back to pick me up later do you?" she asked sweetly, fluttering her eyelashes at him.

He grinned bemusedly, standing up and stretching.

"I'll see you later then?"

"Bye Finn!" A couple of different voices called as he let himself out.

Rachel and Mercedes moved to either end of the couch, patting the cushion in between them until Kurt came and sat down, burping Madeline against his shoulder.

"So, what are we going to watch?" Mercedes asked, curling her legs comfortably underneath her.

"Tangled?" Blaine asked excitedly, eyes wide.

Rachel laughed.

"Haven't you seen that yet?" she teased.

"Nope!" Blaine laughed. "We bought it just before Kurt...Kurt went into hospital-" he stuttered, "But I haven't seen it yet!"

"Is Tangled okay with everyone?" Kurt asked.

At their nods, he grinned at Blaine, and he slipped the movie into the DVD player.

"Okay, drinks and snackage." Blaine laughed.

"Whatever you can find." Kurt requested, and Blaine grinned, wandering into the kitchen.

He placed two bowls on the coffee table when he came back, pouring everyone cups of soft drink, before pressing play.

Kurt sighed, letting himself lean against Rachel as the movie started, tangling the fingers of one hand in Blaine's hair when he sat on the floor in front of him, leaning against his leg. Mercedes stretched her legs out, grinning as Kurt rested his legs on top of hers.

Madeline fell asleep a few minutes into the movie, resting contentedly on Kurt's legs, her hand grasping at the material of Blaine's shirt as she slept.

^.^

The movie finished close to ten pm - Mercedes was sleeping against Kurt's shoulder - exhausted from the jet-lag. Kurt was dozing - half listening to Blaine and Rachel squeal quietly about the movie as the credits rolled.

"I _still_ think the frying pan was the best bit." Blaine argued, stretching lazily.

"No, the lanterns!" Rachel disagreed, trying to get up off the couch without disturbing Kurt.

She glanced at the clock, sighing.

"I'd better call Finn and get him to come get me."

"Use the home phone." Blaine told her, gathering the dishes on the coffee table and carrying them through to the kitchen, dumping them in the sink.

He heard Madeline whimper, and hurried back into the lounge, scooping her up off Kurt's lap.

"Hungry sweetheart?" he whispered, taking her through to the kitchen and putting a bottle on to warm up.

"Finn will be here in half an hour or so." Rachel yawned, hanging up the phone as he pulled Madeline's bottle out of the microwave. "Oh! Are you feeding her? Can I do it? _Please?_"

Blaine laughed.

"Sure, I guess. Go make yourself comfortable and I'll bring her through." He instructed, gesturing to the lounge room.

Rachel grinned at him, settling herself into an armchair and accepting Madeline into her arms.

"Just make sure that there isn't any air bubbles in the teat." Blaine told her, checking the temperature of the bottle before handing it over. "All you need now is a cushion to rest your arm on – it tends to get tiring, holding her head still."

Rachel stared down at Madeline as she drank greedily.

"She's adorable." She sighed, stroking Madeline's cheek with a finger. Blaine grinned at her, turning to wake Kurt and Mercedes enough to get them into bed.

"I want a baby." Rachel announced, and Kurt shot her a confused look over Blaine's shoulder.

"I'm pretty sure you should talk to Finn about that." He mumbled, and Blaine choked back his laugh.

"Go back to sleep." Rachel told him, rolling her eyes.

"I have to go to bed first. Blaine said." Kurt told her sleepily as Blaine led him out of the room, an arm around his waist for support.

Mercedes followed them up the stairs and Rachel turned her attention back to Madeline. She looked up at Rachel with curious eyes, and Rachel smiled.

"You do look a _lot_ like them. With daddy Blaine's curls, and daddy Kurt's hair colour..."

^.^

Blaine crept back into the room as Madeline finished her bottle – Rachel looking around in confusion as Madeline squirmed happily – not entirely sure what to do next.

"I'll take her." Blaine said, flicking a tea-towel over his shoulder before resting Madeline against it, patting her back firmly.

"Thanks." Rachel smiled, wandering into the kitchen to get rid of the bottle she still held. "Finn should be here soon." She added, glancing out the window as she sat back down.

Blaine smiled at her absently, nuzzling his head against Madeline.

"What are you doing?" Rachel asked curiously, watching as Blaine continued patting Madeline's back.

"Burping her." Blaine grinned tiredly, yawning. "It helps get rid of all the extra wind in her belly after she's had a bottle, so she feels better." He explained, and Rachel's eyes widened in realisation.

"Oh, right." She sighed, settling further into her chair.

They sat in a comfortable silence for another minute or two, then Madeline burped, and they had to laugh at how cute she sounded.

Blaine went to say something else, but headlights flicking over the window stopped him.

"Finn's here." Rachel sighed, shielding her mouth as she yawned. "Thanks for having me." She told Blaine with a slight smile, turning to gather her things.

"No problem." Blaine grinned, following her to the door.

"Stay safe!" she called over her shoulder as she hurried toward the car, Blaine waved before shutting the front door, turning to flick off the lights and head upstairs.

"Come on princess." He yawned, rocking Madeline slightly. "How does a nappy change, pyjama's, and bed sound to you?**_"_**


	18. This Is Too Good To Be True

After the party, life started to resemble normalcy.

Kurt went to physio every morning for the next two weeks - for less and less time until he was strong enough to not need it anymore. He was pretty much back to before the pregnancy, and he was immensely proud of himself.

But normalcy was hard, to say the least.

There were the constant explanations to people as to where Madeline came from - they often resorted to adoption or surrogacy if they didn't know the person well enough.

Blaine finished his course and went to work - a full time job that paid well, and soon they were able to afford a proper house, rather than their tiny town house - and they lived comfortably. Kurt continued with his course - albeit more slowly, but he knew he wasn't even going to attempt to find a job until Madeline was in school.

In such a short time, their life had been thrown into turmoil, and they knew it would never be the same. Not with Madeline. But it wasn't _bad_ turmoil.

Burt and Carole did all they could - they babysat when the boys really needed it - when they needed to be alone, when life was stressing them out.

Fortunately, Madeline was a lovely baby - she learned to sleep through the nights quite quickly and only had off days rarely – and she was generally quite easily settled when she _did_ get upset.

They were a little family, and it was perfect for them.

^.^

There were, of course, dramas. Kurt and Blaine often fought about trivial things. They hadn't gotten married, and they didn't really want to. It meant more expenses, and even though Blaine was working, they weren't millionaires.

Some weekends they _did _get mad – sometimes Blaine would find himself sleeping on the couch, or vice versa, but it was mostly stress that caused their fights. They often got over them quite quickly, and would generally apologise first thing in the morning, or halfway through the night.

Madeline always hated it when they yelled – and she grew to hate it more and more as she got older. Her birthdays were always celebrated with flourish, and Kurt and Blaine constantly reminded her how special she was.

Sadly, she was a little too young to really know how _special_ she was.

Fortunately, that conversation didn't rise when she was young – Kurt and Blaine _knew _it would be hard to explain, and they hadn't really figured out how to tell her yet.

So she grew up happy and safe – times were changing and people were more accepting, and when they all met her Kindy teacher for the first time, a couple of weeks before it started, the woman hadn't even batted an eyelash when Madeline told her that she had two daddies.

^.^

"I can't believe it's your first day of school!" Blaine said happily, and Madeline giggled, standing up on her bed.

Blaine scooped her up, spinning around her room as Kurt watched them from the doorway.

"Daddy, down!" she scolded happily, and Blaine obeyed, setting her on her feet and kissing her cheek.

She blushed, running to Kurt and hugging him around the waist.

"Are you both taking me to school?" she asked excitedly. Blaine laughed.

"Yes we are! I got the morning off work just so I could go too!"

Madeline squealed, letting go of Kurt and hugging Blaine instead.

"When can we go?" she asked excitedly, bouncing.

"We can go as soon as I do your hair, and you put shoes on." Kurt told her, and Madeline nodded, running to grab her hairbrush and skipping back.

"How do you want your hair up?" Kurt asked her, running the hairbrush gently through her curls.

"Um...In pig-tails!" Madeline decided, standing still as Kurt quickly fixed her hair, knowing that she wouldn't be able to stay still for too long.

When Kurt finished, Madeline ran to check in the mirror, grinning happily as she bounced back into her room.

"Thank you daddy!" he cried as she grabbed her shoes, sitting on her bed to put them on.

"Daddy, can you do my laces up?" she asked innocently, tilting her head to the side.

Blaine laughed, dropping a kiss on her forehead.

"Of course sweetheart."

^.^

They made it to her school without incident, and Madeline chattered excitedly as Kurt helped her out of the car. She took both of their hands as they led her into the school, and as soon as she saw all of the people – students, teachers and parents – her talking slowed, and her grip on their hands tightened.

"You okay Maddy?" Blaine asked, kneeling down to her height. Madeline threw her arms around his neck, clinging tightly.

"There's so many people." She whispered.

"It's a bit scary isn't it?" Kurt asked, patting her back as Blaine stood up, Madeline still clinging to him.

She nodded into Blaine's neck, arms tightening.

"How about we go meet your teacher?"

Madeline looked up at Kurt curiously.

"Miss Ritchie?"

"Yup!" Kurt said. "And Grace will be there."

"Gracie?"

Kurt nodded, steering Blaine through the school until they were outside her classroom.

"We're here." Blaine said softly. "Do you want to hop down?"

Madeline clung closer for a second or two before letting go.

"Okay." She whispered, and Blaine set her down gently.

"Ready?"

"Yup." She nodded, grabbing Kurt's hand again.

"Come on then." Blaine said gently.

"Hi Madeline!" Miss Ritchie greeted as they came through the door. "Are you ready?"

Madeline shrunk into Kurt's side, eyes taking in every detail, and nodding shyly.

"Your parents can stay for another ten minutes, just long enough to get you set up, and then they have to go."

Madeline nodded again, and Miss Ritchie grinned at her.

"You can sit anywhere you'd like." She told her, "Anywhere that isn't already claimed, just come and ask me if you have any problems, okay?"

Madeline nodded again, slightly more eagerly, and moved away from Kurt's side, studying the desks.

"I want to sit over there." She told them, pointing. "Next to the window."

Blaine grinned. "Okay. Go claim it."

Madeline grinned up at him, skipping through the classroom to the desk she'd pointed out.

Kurt and Blaine followed slightly more slowly, and by the time they reached her side, she was already chatting happily to the girl at the desk next to her.

Kurt smiled, unpacking her bag into her desk and grinning at Blaine.

"Alright then Maddy." He interrupted a few minutes later. "We have to go now, but I'll be back to pick you up when school finishes. Have a good day!"

"Bye daddy!" she said happily, hugging them both before sitting back down, turning back to the girl at her side.

"I think she's made a new friend." Blaine whispered to Kurt as they left.

Kurt didn't respond, looking absently at a women carrying a baby – probably the younger sibling of one of Madeline's classmates.

"Kurt?" Blaine asked, reaching for his hand and linking their fingers together.

"Hmm?"

"What were you looking at?"

"Oh... Nothing."

They kept walking in a comfortable silence, then Kurt spoke again.

"Blaine?"

"Hmm?"

"I want to have another baby."

* * *

_**A/N: The End :) There is a sequel. You can currently find it in 'A Collection of Klaine', under the name 'Uterus Kurt' (It's a working title, shut up :P). Once it gets it's own story, it will go down from 'A Collection of Klaine', so just a warning to anyone reading this and not able to find it in the huge chapter story.**_


End file.
